By Caitlin Scuderi
For The State News
Internet buyers beware: Someone might be phishing for your information.
Phishing, or sending an e-mail falsely claiming to be an establishment in order to obtain personal information to be used for identity theft, is happening more frequently, MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said.
"It's been used successfully on campus to obtain banking information from students," McGlothian-Taylor said.
In an effort to promote safer Internet habits, Microsoft Research has granted $50,000 to MSU researchers to study local students' computer safety and to improve Internet safety for college students.
Professors Nora Rifon and Robert LaRose are the lead investigators of the project.
"Computer safety is a serious issue today and tomorrow," Rifon said.
"Today's teens are tomorrow's adults and we need to understand how they use and perceive online environments to help protect themselves now and as adults."
The research team will be working closely with the Holt School District and freshmen classes at MSU.
The project will affect a much larger audience, LaRose said.
"The MSU component will be our contribution to a growing national movement to improve the information and communication technology literacy of college students," LaRose said.
The proposal was one of 15 selected from 114 submissions for funding in the Microsoft External Research & Programs: Trustworthy Computing Curriculum 2006 Request for Proposals.
MSU Federal Credit Union has been the vehicle for phishing e-mails several times in the last few years, said Joyce Banish, the credit union's vice president of marketing.
Often, phishers posing as official banks send e-mails encouraging people to enter personal information such as account numbers and passwords.
"So you can imagine how this becomes very dangerous," Banish said.
After a phisher obtains personal information such as credit card or account numbers, cards can be manufactured in seconds, Banish said.
Katie Lamoreaux, a merchandising management junior, responded to an e-mail she thought was from her bank and it turned into a case of stolen identity.
"I entered my information online and never thought twice," Lamoreaux said. "A couple days later, I started noticing my account seemed lower than usual."
After calling her bank and canceling her debit card, Lamoreaux was told she was a victim of identity theft.
"Overall, I lost about $300. My bank told me I should feel lucky because I figured it out so soon," she said.
The quicker people inform their banks about what has happened, the quicker it can attempt to prevent losses to their accounts, Banish said.
"As a rule of thumb, never answer an e-mail asking for personal financial information," Banish said. "But if you realize that you made the mistake, don't wait — call your bank immediately."
In order to prevent becoming a victim of a phishing attack, e-mails must be read closely.
"There are usually misspellings, or they will ask for detailed information like your mother's maiden name," Banish said.
In addition to looking for misspellings, the credit union's Web site lists other ways to differentiate a fraudulent e-mail from any other.
Customers should pay attention to the tone of the e-mail. Fraudulent ones tend to have an urgent tone in an effort to get a quick response from recipients.
Phishing e-mails also might contain false links to Web sites.
But to some students, Internet security isn't a concern.
Marketing junior Mike Chirillo admits that he rarely thinks twice when he enters his personal information to online sites.
"If it's a well-known company, then I always feel safe. The idea of identity theft never crosses my mind," he said.
Accounting senior Katie Score agrees.
"The risk is worth it for the convenience," she said.
"I do think about the threat of identity theft — but if I can't get something in a store and I have to order it online, I will do it."
