As often is the case, today I did not need to venture any further than my own email box for today’s “Scam of the day.”  Below is a copy of an email that I received that looks quite legitimate, but in fact is a fraud.  It is either a phishing scam or malware scam.  As is usually the case, the email describes an emergency situation that requires my immediate attention.  It then directs me to click on a link within the email to verify the account and start the process to remedy the situation.  DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK.  Clicking on the link will do one of two things.  It may be a phishing scam whereby you are lured into providing personal information, such as account numbers to an identity thief who can then use that information to access your account and make you a victim of identity theft or it may be a malware scam where when you click on the link, you unknowingly download keystroke logging malware that will steal all of the personal information from your computer and lead to your becoming a victim of identity theft.

Here is a copy of the email I received.  Again, DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK.

TIPS

Of course, if, like me you do not have a bank account with Chase, you can immediately delete the email.  However if you do receive such an email and do have an account with Chase, you cannot rely on the email to be legitimate, regardless of how legitimate it may appear and frankly, this is a pretty good counterfeit.  You never know who really is sending you an email so you should never click on links or provide information in response to an email until you have verified that the email is legitimate.  The best way to do that is to call or email the real entity at a telephone number or email address that you know is legitimate.  Don’t use an email address or telephone number provided in the email.  Contact them at a number or email address that you know is accurate.  Specifically for Chase customers, you can go to the Chase Security Center at https://www.chase.com/resources/report-fraud for the information you need to protect yourself from Chase related scams and identity theft schemes.