Information on Phishing and Pretexting

GCI has seen an increase in phishing attempts against GCI customers both in email attempts, and even some reported cases of pretexting using phone calls. These requests are attempts to obtain personnel information such as username, passwords, or credit card information. This information is then used for criminal purposes such as spamming, theft or identity theft.

• Phishing: The attempt to criminally and fraudulently acquire sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity.
• Pretexting: Is the act of creating and using an invented scenario (the pretext) to persuade a target (you) to release information or perform an action and is typically done over the telephone

Some steps you can take to help protect yourself

• Be suspicious of unsolicited email and phone calls
  • Delete the email
  • Hang up on the caller
• Do not provide usernames, passwords, credit card, social security number, and date of birth on an email or over the phone to an unknown source
  • Call them on a phone number you acquire from a different source
  • Visit their web site, directly or by a performing a web search.
• Do not click on the links of the email, if you need to contact the company
  • Call them on a phone number you acquire from a different source
  • Visit their web site, directly or by a performing a web search.
• This includes emails with coupons to a retailer
  • Security experts believe this will lead recipients into phishing schemes.
  • It is recommended you go to the retailer's web site and navigate to special coupons or promotions listed on the site
• Keep your computer and programs up-to-date
• Use a good anti-virus and anti-spy ware program
• If you think the email or phone call may have come from GCI, you should call GCI, at any of our published phone numbers.
  • Remember GCI technical support is open 24/7 365 days a year and can be reached through 265-5400.

GCI takes these attempts seriously, and will shut down accounts of GCI customers knowingly participating in such activities. If you are in doubt, please contact GCI.

Example of a Phishing email currently being seen by GCI Customers: (delete it, if you receive this email or a similar type email.

From: GCI SUPPORT TEAM <support@gci.net>
Date: February 17, 2008 7:40:30 AM AKST
To: undisclosed-recipients: ;
Subject: IMPORTANT NOTICE FROM THE GCI SUPPORT TEAM
Reply-To: gciactive@gmail.com

Dear Gci Subscriber,

To complete your gci account, you must reply to this email immediately
and
enter your password here (*********)

Failure to do this will immediately render your email address
deactivated from
our database.

You can also confirm your email address by logging into your gci account at http://webmail.gci.net

Thank you for using GCI.NET !
THE GCI.NET TEAM

The above email is not being sent by GCI, and should be deleted if you receive it!

More subject information about these issues may be found at the links below:

• Wikipedia - phishing
• Wikipedia - pretexting
• Webopedia - phishing

More information about how to protect yourself may be found at these sites: