Phishing season starts in UK

Various people are wondering what to do now that their bank
has been acquired in the wake of the lending crisis. Well, whatever you do, do not
click on links you are receiving in e-mails supposedly sent by your bank.

A new phishing campaign, fraudulently using HSBC Bank visual
identity, requires user to follow a link allegedly directing to the financial
institution Web site and check their account details. However, the link redirects
the gullible users towards a HSBC fake Web site, which employs several PHP
scripts for pilfering the sensitive data.

To avoid becoming a victim of phishing raids, follow the
five common-sense tips below:

• Make sure you always activate or turn on your antiphishing
  or phishing filter, as well as any other security applications or suites before
  browsing to your e-banking account. Ideally, you should install, activate and
  update a reliable security solution.

• Make sure that the e-banking Web site uses SSL encryption
  (Secure Socket Layer) and security authentication methods – look for the
  “https” prefix and the locked padlock. If you are requested to accept a
  certificate for the session, check that the name on the certificate matches the
  name of the institution you wish to deal with and that the certificate is
  signed by a known Certificate Authority such as Thawte^TM or VeriSign