You may have heard some vague reports about a security breach at a company called Epsilon. But, if you’re like many Americans, the news didn’t strike you as fairly relevant to your life. After all, you probably didn’t recognize the company’s name or didn’t think you had any affiliations with it.
Or do you?
The reality is, the news wasn’t just about the company Epsilon, but instead was about the more than 40 companies - from Walgreens and TiVo to J.P. Morgan Chase and Ameriprise Financial - who have said their customers were among the email addresses stolen. In other words, even if you don’t know the name Epsilon or have anything to do with that company, your email address may be part of this important news story.
The good news... It appears only names and email addresses were stolen as part of the breach. Most of that information is fairly public - and isn’t as sensitive as, say, a social security number.
The bad news... Clever criminals can put together very convincing email scams to steal the rest of your personal information... right from you, rather than the company.
What should you do?
Whether you were informed that your email address was stolen or not, here are some important tips to ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND when dealing with unsolicited emails... even from companies that you do business with regularly.
1. Never email personal information... even if the company or email looks legitimate! Cyber criminals today can create very sophisticated and convincing emails that ask you to reply with your password or social security number. In fact, some criminals may be creating emails that look as if they’re informational emails about the Epsilon breach as a way to seem even more legitimate. So, if you receive an email asking for any personal information - including your password, account number, date of birth, social security number, and so on - do NOT respond. Instead, look up the company’s phone number on a recent bill, receipt, or other paperwork, and call the company about the email. If it’s a scam, they’ll want to know that it’s going on.
2. Be careful which links you click. Today’s cyber criminals often don’t ask you to reply with personal information, but instead build and link you to fake company websites - in the hopes that you’ll let your guard down and enter your information for them there. Don’t be foolish. Legitimate businesses will not ask for your information - they already have it. Moreover, they won’t collect personal data outside of a secure website. So if it’s not the normal website URL that you use, be extremely skeptical and contact the company by phone if you even suspect it may be fake.
3. Don’t download. If an email looks suspicious be very careful about attachments. Email scams can include malicious programs that look harmless, but once downloaded can either infect your computer or steal your personal data without you even really knowing. The best word of advice is simply: Don’t download anything that seems even the slightest bit out of the ordinary.
Those tips are good advice any time of the year, but they are especially pertinent after widespread breaches. So be extra vigilant when it comes to reading, responding, and clicking on your emails in the weeks ahead.
Mortgage Market Guide
I can be reached by phone at 615-777-4663 or via email at george.margrave@migonline.com.
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