Other LanguagesOLYMPIA – A listserv account used by the Washington Attorney General’s Office to send news items was hijacked as part of a “phishing” scam. State agencies have resolved the problem to ensure further unauthorized e-mails are not sent.
Subscribers received a e-mail message that appears to come from “Military Bank Online” but includes the listserv address in the “from” line. The message aims to trick readers into clicking on a link that resembles a Bank of America Web site and asks for account login information.
Do not follow the link. Do not provide any identifying information. Delete the e-mail.
These emails did not originate from the Attorney General’s Office or a bank. The perpetrators of this scam aim to prey on unsuspecting members who follow the link and then enter their account user name and password. They could become victims of identity theft and fraud. Never reply to e-mails that ask for personal information and don’t click on links in e-mails or pop-ups. Legitimate financial institutions will never ask you to verify your identity online.
If you have responded to this fraudulent e-mail, your financial and personal information could be compromised.
• Please contact your bank immediately to protect your account.
• Carefully check credit card and bank statements for unauthorized charges each month.
• You can contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit reports to request a fraud alert be placed on your file. For instructions on requesting a fraud alert, visit the Attorney General’s Office Web site at /credit-freeze-fraud-alert#fraud
For more information how to protect your identity, visit the Attorney General’s Web site at /identity-theftprivacy or call the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-551-4636.
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Media Contact: Kristin Alexander, Seattle Media Relations Manager, (206) 464-6432