Cowlitz Bank Cautions Customers About Phishing Scam

According to fresh reports obtained, Cowlitz Bank is cautioning people against a phishing scam that is maliciously using the name and symbol and thereby the reputation of the bank. Tdn.com reported this on July 24, 2009.

The fraudulent e-mail related to the scam directs the recipient to provide current personal information. Accordingly, it asks the Cowlitz Bank's account holder to update his private details including full name, birth date, Social Security number as well as other vital financial and personal information filed in the Bank's records.

Said the Bank that the act is clearly another case of 'phishing' designed to harvest personal information to commit ID theft. Tdn.com reported this on July 24, 2009.

Meanwhile, as banks explicate, phishing scams involve phishers or e-mail fraudsters who act maliciously as a representative of a particular bank. Their e-mails, which are fraudulent, tell the bank's customers that to continue maintaining their accounts with the institution, they need to answer back with the requested information otherwise their accounts would rebound or even get closed.

However, regarding the current case, Cowlitz Bank said it has no connection with the phishing message and that it is a hoax which recipients must not respond to. Furthermore, authorities at the Bank have also firmly alerted its customers not to click any link embedded on the phishing message.

Besides, the Bank suggests that if any customer has already been victimized in the scam, then he must contact the Bank at the earliest. The institution also provides a number viz. 1-800-340-8865 which customers can call and take guidance on the necessary steps for steering clear of any form of possible ID theft that represents the foremost security threat to users who reply to fraudulent, phishing e-mails.

Elaborating further, the Bank said as per a rule, Cowlitz Bank wouldn't ever request its account holders to verify their secret information via electronic mail. So, if any customer has got such a kind of phishing message regarding his account with Cowlitz Bank then he may send the e-mail to fraud@cowlitzbank.com.

In the end, the Bank advises that customers remain on guard about phishing e-mails.

» SPAMfighter News - 7/4/2009