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Phishing emails will use fraudulent messages to reveal sensitive information like passwords or credit card information. If you have done any of that, here are some steps that should be taken to secure your account.
Precautions if You Divulged Information to a Phishing Scam
- If you supplied your Cell Phone Number and the criminal calls or texts you, block incoming calls from that number.
- If you supplied financial information, such as a Credit Card Number, Bank Account, or Checking Account Information, you need to contact your bank or credit card company immediately to prevent fraudulent transactions. Their customer service or fraud reporting lines should be printed on the back of your credit or debit card. Check your credit card statements carefully. If you discover any unauthorized charges, you should dispute the transactions by sending a letter to the credit card company at the address listed on the statement for this purpose, not the address for sending payments. The Federal Trade Commission provides a sample letter at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0385-sample-letter-disputing-billing-errors.
- If you supplied your Social Security Number, Driver’s License Information, or other personal information, you need to take steps to protect yourself from Identity Theft. Request a free credit report to verify that credit accounts have not been opened in your name. Free annual credit reports covering Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion are mandated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and are available from https://www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228. You should look through each of your credit reports carefully:
- Check for accounts you do not recognize, especially accounts opened recently, and look in the inquiries section for names of creditors from whom you have not requested credit.
- Look in the personal information section for any address listed where you have never lived. Identity thieves often submit address change requests to divert credit card statements and bills so that victims remain unaware of the fraudulent transactions.
- If you find items on your report that you do not understand, call the credit bureau at the number listed on the report. Credit bureau staff will review your report with you. You should make a note of any account or transaction that cannot be explained.
- Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze on your accounts. You can place a free, one-year fraud alert by contacting any one of the three major credit bureaus. That company must tell the other two.
Finally, if you discover any fraudulent transactions, file reports with the Federal Trade Commission’s IdentityTheft.gov web site, your local police department, and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).