In today's technological society, computers have become a way of life for many of us; we shop, pay bills, bank, and keep in touch with family and friends. Yet, they too can be used against us.

"Phishing" pronounced "fishing" is defined as: the act of sending an e-mail to a user falsely claiming to be an established legitimate enterprise in an attempt to scam the user into providing private information that will be used for identity theft. The e-mail directs the user to visit a Web site where he/she is asked to update personal information such as passwords, names, and account numbers that the legitimate organization already has.

In many instances, you will receive a message with a threat or very stern warning such as:

• "We suspect an unauthorized transaction on your account. To ensure that your account is not compromised, please click the link below and confirm your identity."
• "If you do not respond to this e-mail by contacting us at the address below, your accounts will be cancelled immediately as we suspect that they have been accessed without your permission."
• "During our regular verification of accounts we couldn't verify your information. Please click here to update your records."

These messages are nothing more than preplanned scare tactics to get you to respond to the e-mail and provide your personal information.

Phishing e-mails may or may not be easy to spot. Test your skills for spotting a fraudulent e-mail at: http://www.sonicwall.com/phishing. Obviously, if you have no business with a company, it is most likely a scam to get you to provide your information. But what if you do receive a message from a place you do business with? Take note that under no circumstances will First Banking Center contact you via e-mail to update your personal information or request a password; nor should any other legitimate organization. If you ever receive a request asking for your private information, please contact one of our FBC locations.

You can protect yourself by following these steps:

• Do not respond to any e-mail or pop up message that requests your personal or financial information. Do not reply or utilize any link provided.
• Use anti-virus software and a firewall; keep them up to date.
• Do not use e-mail to send any personal or financial information, as e-mail is not a secure source for providing this type of material.
• Report the fraudulent e-mail to the legitimate company whose name is being used. Many organizations will then use this information to keep their customers informed.
• Report the fraudulent e-mail to the Anti-Phishing Organization at: www.antiphishing.org
• Use First Banking Center's 24-hour First Touch Banking by calling (800) 417-5193 or sign up to view your accounts online: FBC Bank@Home. Either method allows you to keep a closer eye on your accounts, rather than waiting for a monthly statement.

If, however, you have fallen victim to this type of fraud, the following steps are provided to assist you:

• Depending on the information provided, you may wish to contact any of the three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Trans Union or Experian) and ask that a "fraud alert" be placed on your file.
• Contact your Internet/e-mail provider to alert them to this problem.
• If necessary, file a report with your local law enforcement agency. Keep a copy of this report as you will need it when dealing with retailers, financial institutions, and other companies.
• File a report with the Anti-Phishing Organization at: www.antiphishing.org
• File a report with the Federal Trade Commission, either online at: www.ftc.gov or at (877) IDTHEFT (again, keep a copy of this report for your records).
• Contact, directly, companies or businesses that you think may have been affected, alerting them to the problem right away.
• Close any accounts that have been accessed or you think may be accessed; this includes bank accounts, credit card accounts, etc.
• Keep detailed records of your contacts. Start a file with copies of all reports along with information pertaining to who you spoke with, when, and what the expected outcome is to be.