How does the scam Verizon Wireless?
As part of the scam, the Verizon Wireless user receives a call from a "Verizon representative" to warn them that they are eligible for a special award of $ 54. The scammer goes on to explain that the user must visit a phishing site - www.verizon54.com - and connect to their Verizon account in order to claim their reward. Once the user visits the phishing website and provides all their account information, the scammer will have access not only the user's account, but also all personal information associated with the account.
What can I do to protect myself?
Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself if you have already received the call and visited the website, as well as ways to protect yourself if you receive the call of crooks.
What if I have already visited the website of phishing
1. Change your Verizon Wireless account username and password: Go Verizon site or call a representative of customer service - find the number on verizonwireless.com - as soon as possible to change your username and password. This will ensure that fraudsters will not be able to access your account online.
2. Ask about the cancellation of your credit card or closing your bank account: Since fraudsters gained access to your account, there is a strong chance they were also able to get your payment from the account. As a precaution, you should call your bank and warn of phishing incident and request a new debit or credit card. It is important to note that most banks will not reissue a credit or debit card unless there is confirmed fraud on the account, but can make an exception because you have fallen victim to the scam . If your Verizon bill is automatically deducted from your bank account each month, then you should consider closing that bank account and reopen a new because it's the only way you can ensure the safety of it.
3. Sign up for identity theft protection: Considering that you have provided fraudsters to access the personal information connected to your account, you may want to consider signing up for a service protection against identity theft. These services monitor your personal and banking information on the black market of the Internet and public folders to ensure that it is not sold, traded or used by identity thieves. If your information is found, you will be notified immediately and provided with steps you should take to protect yourself.
In addition to the analysis of identity, most of these services offer three bureau - Equifax, Experian and TransUnion - Monitoring credit report that will alert you if anything changes on your credit reports. Top services such as Identity Guard and TrustedID also offer free trials so you can test the service before making a financial commitment. Read identity theft protection reviews to find the best service for you.
What should I do if I get the call
1. Do not respond to calls of "Technical Support": Given that scammers use "technical Support" phone number to hide their fraudulent number, it is essential that you do not answer the phone for every call you receive this number. Instead, let the call to voicemail.
2. DO NOT visit the website: Although the reward, voice mail and website look legitimate, it is important to remember that this is all a scam to get control of your account and personal information. Do not visit or enter your information into the website because you will just jeopardize your cell phone service and identity. Make sure you only enter your username and password in Verizon http://www.verizonwireless.com.
Out of curiosity, we tried to visit, and received the following warning from our browser, Google Chrome. If you try to visit the site security software or Internet browser should also warn you of phishing site that you tried to visit.
3. Report the scam to Verizon Wireless: To alert the company of fraud, as well as helping others avoid, you must report any calls you receive crooks abuse@verizon.com. In the e-mail be sure to include the time and date of the call and the phone number and the information you or left on your voicemail said.
Visit our identity theft protection blog for more information on identity theft and learn to protect yourself against this crime in all aspects of your life.