Phishing Defined: Phishing is a form of Internet fraud that aims to steal your valuable information…credit card numbers…social security numbers…PIN numbers…user IDs and passwords… etc. Most commonly phishing perpetrators will create a fake website which will look just like the website of your financial institution. The “phishers” then contact you via email, or social media, claiming to be your bank, credit union, or credit card company and lure you to their fake site. The message they send is usually something like, “There has been a possible security breach. Please log-in to your account for more information.”  You go there believing the website is legitimate and enter your confidential information, but the submitted information goes to the operators of the fraudulent website.

While it is common for companies to send email messages with links to their websites, legitimate companies will not contact you in this manner when it is regarding highly personal and confidential matters. In other words your financial institution won’t ask for social security numbers, or PINs, or passwords via email, nor will they contact you in this manner to tell you of a security issue. So, you should view any such message as a possible fraud attempt.

What can you do?

1. Just Don’t Do It!
   As a general rule, if you ever receive an email message asking you to click a link and supply private information…no matter how official looking the email appears…just delete it. If you are concerned about the information contained in the email call the institution directly to inquire about it.
2. Access your Financial Institution’s Website(s) directly.
   Go to financial websites by typing the address in the browser for yourself, not by clicking a link in an email. This will help ensure that you are accessing the legitimate site.
3. Make sure you are accessing the Website securely.
   Look for the padlock icon in the bottom right-hand side of your browser window when you are at the log-in area of a financial website (not the website in general, but the log-in page). This padlock means you are accessing the site securely. Phishing sites generally do not use such security. The padlock is no guarantee that the site your are at is not a phishing site, but never enter private information unless this lock is present.

Following these three steps will go a LONG way in keeping your information safe from those who are trying to get it fraudulently.

If you receive any suspicious emails that you believe may be fraudulent or an attempt at phishing please contact your Financial Institution directly. Be aware and be safe.

So how can you identify great technology?

1. Great technology allows you to work the way you work.
   For keeping notes, tracking my ideas, keeping things organized I still like to use pen and paper. This old “technology” is handy and lets me capture things as the occur wherever I happen to be. BUT lately I have been using a great service called Evernote. It allows me to upload, from my computer, or phone, all the random notes and ideas I have. Now here’s the really cool part. Evernote can keep my paper notes too…if I find the things I jot down worth keeping I can take a picture of them with my phone, or scan them and upload them instantly. Evernote is great because it allows me to work the way I work.
2. Great technology offers the new in an accessible way.
   Apple iPhones and now the iPad, have kept with an “older” idea while brining us into the new. These devices still have a “desktop” with icon that you “click”…but they brought us into the new era of touch…we tap to click, we slide our fingers to scroll. These devices let us use the familiar while drawing us into the next generation of usability.
3. Great technology draws you in as you go.
   Little-by-little I find myself amending the way I do things in Evernote. It allowed me to work my way, but through continued use I see a new and better way to do  things…it “drew me in.” The same is true of the iPhone/iPad as people become comfortable with these devices they begin to see more uses for them and utilize them in different and greater ways.

So before you buy a new gadget, or implement a new technology ask yourself if it’s great technology. Anything new will come with a learning curve. The time it takes to adapt depends on the person and the technology. But truly great technology will let you do what you do, stay out of your way, and be ready with more when you’re ready for it.