Gone Phishing?
Don’t take the bait in this common identity scam
By Rick Burgess, Vice President

It seems that every morning brings a new scheme aimed at stealing the identities or money of consumers. We want to warn you about a common ploy called phishing. Phishing is a scam that uses e-mail and decoy websites to lure unsuspecting customers into divulging sensitive personal information. It works like this: A victim receives an “official” e-mail, notifying them of an account problem or government mixup. They are asked to help clear up the problem by providing information, such as their Social Security or account numbers, for verification. Some schemes even include highly believable “official” websites.

Phishing scams have convinced people that they’ve been inadvertently classified as terrorists by the government; that their bank accounts have lost FDIC insurance; even that they’re in jeopardy from other scam artists. In every case there’s the same catch—just provide a little information, and the problem will be cleared up.

There are other kinds of phishing scams, too. A popular one advertises incredibly low interest rates on mortgage loans, then asks for personal information so you can “qualify” for the loan program. In many cases your information is taken with no intention of offering you a loan; instead it is sold to other individuals so they can try to sell you other products, or even steal your identity.

Never volunteer personal information
If you ever receive any unsolicited e-mail, phone calls or regular mail asking for personal information, remember this: Neither Community Guaranty Savings Bank, nor the federal government, will contact you via e-mail or phone to ask for personal information. So don’t respond unless you’re absolutely certain that you’re dealing with someone legitimate. Only contact the organization cited in any correspondence through a phone number or website address you know to be genuine. No matter how new the scam is, the best advice is always the same: Know whom you’re talking to before providing any personal information.