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Nearly caught by spam.. [or 'Saved by Thunderbird']
app103:
Your BANK will NEVER ask for you to confirm ANYTHING via e-mail, this is a scam that has been going around for a long time, if they require you to confirm anything they will call you and ask for you to come into the bank.
-Stephen66515 (February 09, 2010, 11:49 AM)
--- End quote ---
Uhh, wrong. Banks like to profess that they are the ultimate in security but most of the time they are anything but.
I received an email from Wachovia about 18 months ago asking me to click a link and login to my Online Banking page to change my login credentials - claimed they were converting to a more secure authentication system. I forwarded the email to their fraud division and got a call from them. I asked for a number and called back after verifying the number. Lady there told me that it wasn’t a phish email; that the login upgrade was indeed real. I blasted here for such a security lapse, which she didn't understand, and followed up with snail mail letters to their corporate office and their Fraud division.
My wife - who was an assistant manager for them at the time - told me later what a stink I made! Special training, etc. and a revamping of their "online presence".
Sorry, but banks are basically stupid, simple animals who will violate any security parameter for the sake of cutting spending and making money!
Jim
-J-Mac (February 14, 2010, 12:51 AM)
--- End quote ---
My bank will NEVER email me about ANYTHING. Nor will they request info over the phone.
I can't even set up any sort of automatic bill payment through them unless I go there in person and fill out a bunch of forms authorizing a reoccurring payment, stating the name & address of company, specific amount to be paid and how often, and if the company tries to submit an amount that differs from what I put on that form, it gets rejected.
I once lost internet access because of this, right after a price increase, because I failed to go to the bank in person and file an update to the original authorization, with the new amount. They refused to pay the ISP one penny, and the ISP shut me off for nonpayment.
The bank doesn't even offer ATM cards, because they are worried about security...things like unauthorized use, lost or stolen cards, people being robbed at ATM machines, and something about 4 char PIN codes using only numbers 0-9 being too easy to crack. So, we can't have them.
But I love this bank. Yeah, they can be a little backwards where technology is concerned, but that can have some benefits. It's small, but run much different than your typical bank. It's not a big corporation owned by a bunch of tycoons and speculating stockholders. It's a very conservative community bank that is owned by its depositors, and we all have voting rights. (Yup, because I have money in there, I own a piece of that bank) It was set up after the stock market crash of 1929, by a bunch of people that wanted a more secure place to keep their money, after they nearly lost it all to the bigger banks that collapsed. Ever since then, every time there has been some sort of banking crisis, our bank hasn't really been affected by it. In fact, they always seem to come out even stronger. They never lost sight of their original mission of safety & security for your money and service to the local community. And that's why I have kept my money there for almost 30 years.
Stoic Joker:
I recommend a simply solution to [url=http://www.wistful-thinking.com/archives/121]Fight Phishing.
-parkint (February 13, 2010, 08:52 AM)
--- End quote ---
Now that's an interesting idea. I might just have to try automating that next time I'm board (and feeling evil) - See how phishing site X likes getting 8,000+ lines of bogus login info.
J-Mac:
My bank will NEVER email me about ANYTHING. Nor will they request info over the phone.
I can't even set up any sort of automatic bill payment through them unless I go there in person and fill out a bunch of forms authorizing a reoccurring payment, stating the name & address of company, specific amount to be paid and how often, and if the company tries to submit an amount that differs from what I put on that form, it gets rejected.
I once lost internet access because of this, right after a price increase, because I failed to go to the bank in person and file an update to the original authorization, with the new amount. They refused to pay the ISP one penny, and the ISP shut me off for nonpayment.
The bank doesn't even offer ATM cards, because they are worried about security...things like unauthorized use, lost or stolen cards, people being robbed at ATM machines, and something about 4 char PIN codes using only numbers 0-9 being too easy to crack. So, we can't have them.
But I love this bank. Yeah, they can be a little backwards where technology is concerned, but that can have some benefits. It's small, but run much different than your typical bank. It's not a big corporation owned by a bunch of tycoons and speculating stockholders. It's a very conservative community bank that is owned by its depositors, and we all have voting rights. (Yup, because I have money in there, I own a piece of that bank) It was set up after the stock market crash of 1929, by a bunch of people that wanted a more secure place to keep their money, after they nearly lost it all to the bigger banks that collapsed. Ever since then, every time there has been some sort of banking crisis, our bank hasn't really been affected by it. In fact, they always seem to come out even stronger. They never lost sight of their original mission of safety & security for your money and service to the local community. And that's why I have kept my money there for almost 30 years.
-app103 (February 14, 2010, 03:22 AM)
--- End quote ---
Then you are fortunate indeed. But keep an eye on them anyway. Never know when a new CEO decides to change things up a bit!
After my last post here I went through my email archive just to see what was there: a total of four phish-looking emails that were really from Wachovia, two from Citizens, and even one from Vanguard. My replies are classic - had me snickering myself while reading them now. Amazingly, as aggressively sarcastic as my replies sometimes were, the first reply back from almost all of the institutions read like they still didn't get my point at all. Sad really...
Thank you.
Jim
jaden:
That reminds me of this Phishing Test I took a while back. I got a 10/10 on it, but from a quick search through my inbox, phishing emails can look more legitimate than the real thing.
I've never bothered to reply to banks' emails. I tend to think they're not really listening to their customers, even though they want you to think they are.
Stoic Joker:
That reminds me of this Phishing Test I took a while back. I got a 10/10 on it, but from a quick search through my inbox, phishing emails can look more legitimate than the real thing.-jaden (February 16, 2010, 01:15 PM)
--- End quote ---
Love the test - I'm going to have the entire office take it tomorrow -LOL- this outa be fun...
Seriously, the verification methods that most financial institutions use are so flimsy is no wonder the entire planet hasn't be stolen 10 times over. Here's an example: My mortgage company will not let my wife make changes to the account, because she is not on the mortgage. However... They'll happily sit there and talk to her about it all day long. If she wants to make a change, she has to get me to verify that it's ok for her to make said change. ...Almost sounds perfectly secure there doesn't it... The "verification" consists of her handing me the phone, the agent asks me my name, last 4 digits of SSN, and birth date.
Now what has actually been verified in that scenario? Only that some guy (or person with a deep voice), has my wallet, and wants to screw with my finances.
Oh yeah, here's my all time favorite ... Shell Oil decided to enforce a protection scheme on their gas cards. It consists of requiring one to enter their zip code when using the card. Apparently nobody at Shell knew that Address & Zip Code are a standard part of the information contained on every driver's license ever made. (Add what two cards are guaranteed to be in anybodies wallet) ... Doh!!
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