The phishers are getting more sophisticated - don't be fooled!!!

The Internet Storm Center has a great article on just how sophisticated the phishers are getting - with an example from CitiBank that is just too close to home - especially since there was a recent article in ComputerWorld about CitiBank blocking some of their cutomers' PINs for debit transactions they think were skimmed at ATMs.
See the SANS article at: http://isc.sans.org/diary.php?storyid=1194&rss and the Computer World Article at:
http://www.computerworld.com/databasetopics/data/story/0,10801,109308,00.html

This brings up my own personal criterium for ATM machines - if they're not from one of the "Big" banks I simply don't use them. None of the "white-box" brands that you find at the mom+pop stores or in the pubs, etc. These non-branded machines have been linked in many cases to money laundering organizations, and besides - they cost too much!

I've also received some more "Business Offer" e-mails purporting to need help in retrieving money or in processing accounts receivable, etc.

The bottom line is that you have to view all unsolicited e-mail (and snail mail) with a high degree of scepticism and if all else fails put the sender's info and some of the phrases from them into Google or your other favourite search engine - you'll be surprised at what comes up in many cases.

The search engines are truly becoming our friends - I Google new acquaintances, customers, companies and all manner of contacts - sometimes while I'm speaking to them on the phone. It's simply common sense these days.