If you use the internet and have an email address, there is no doubt that you have received a fraudulent email asking you to verify your account information. Many criminals will pose as your bank or credit card company, and will ask for your information in order "verify" your account. In reality, once this information is provided, you are likely to become the victim of a fraud called phishing. This is one of the most notorious forms of internet fraud, and has seen a growth in recent years with the increase in email usage.
Because it costs nothing to send out an email, it is possible to send out hundreds of thousands of emails within a short time. Criminals know that despite the fact that many people will ignore these emails, a small percentage of recipients will reply. Once this information has been received, criminals will use to it defraud customers, running up high bills or making expensive purchases. Some will even use this information for identity theft. To stop this fraud, a number of anti phishing services are available online.
These services offer software which will track fraudulent email and websites. Many people use this anti phishing software, and by joining them you will be able to fight back against phishing. Many anti phishing services will have a database in which they keep a list of fraudulent websites. They will help you avoid fraudulent emails sent by criminals who wish to take yout data to defraud you. If you have never received a fraudulent email, or have never been to a fake website, you are fortunate.
However, as use of the internet continues to increase, more people will become the victims of fraud unless they take steps to permit it. Despite the fact that there have been many media reports about phishing, and people have been warned never to give sensitive information via email, many still do. This is why it is important to use ant phishing software which will stop you from becoming a victim. Many large companies such as AOL plan to fight the problem by charging customers to send out emails.
This isn't the answer, and people shouldn't have to pay in order to be protected. Gralic Wrap is a online service which offers anti phishing software free of charge, and can be found at gralicwrap.com. They offer a phishing protection tool along with a large database of fraudulent sites which will keep you protected and informed. You have the right to use the internet without fear of being defrauded, and you shouldn't have to resort to paying for emails in order to avoid becoming the victim of fraud.
Phishing is a problem which is only expected to get worse. Criminals are discovering new tricks daily on how to defraud their victims. Though you don't have to understand how these tricks work, it is important to take the fundamental steps necessary to protect you and your family. Fraud is costly, and millions of dollars each year are lost due to internet fraud.