Gone Phishin': Some Thoughts on the Security of Your Visa Credit Card (cont.)
Contributed by Alix Mcmurray
Business As Usual: Protecting Your Visa Credit Card
This scam, as alarmist and feasible as it was, was never substantiated. Several credit card watchdog organizations have posted advice to ignore this widely disseminated email. Instead, they suggest, go about your business and protect yourself as a matter of course from credit card fraud. That is, do not give out your Social Security number, do not conduct transactions on non-secured sites, and check your billing statement every time to make sure you recognize the transactions documented there.
If It Looks Like a Scam, but Smells Like Phish...You're Wise to Protect Your Visa Credit Card
Phishing (pronounced like the verb for going to catch some fish down by the river)is a relatively new cyber crime. It has been defined as the sending of an email under the pretence of representing a legitimate business. The email typically prompts the user to go to a website -- which itself is bogus but resembles a legitimate website -- for the purpose of updating the user's personal information.
Phishing is so named with intent: it is a confidence game consisting of throwing a wide net to catch multiple fish, many of whom will likely be signed up with the business being impersonated. Remember that your VISA credit card conforms with the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) as well as the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA). You have no liability for unauthorized use if it is merely the credit card number which is stolen.
Make sure you read your Terms and Conditions statement, and keep your customer service number handy.
