Home     View Products     FAQ's     Contact Us     Privacy Policy     Return Policy     Internet Safety     Disclaimer        
Internet Safety
Protecting Your Identity
ABCPortableFireplaces.com takes your privacy very seriously.  We will never ask for your personal
information outside of what we need to complete an order.  

Because your protection is important to us, we would like to provide you with some internet safety
tips on how to protect your identity as you shop via the internet.  

Phish-ing (fish'ing):  To trick people into providing their personal and financial information by pretending to
be from a legitimate company, agency or organization.

How Phishing Works:

By E-Mail:
The most common form of phishing is by e-mail. Pretending to be from your financial institution, or a legitimate
retailer or government agency, the sender asks you to “confirm” your personal information for some made-up
reason. Typically, the e-mail contains a link to a phony Web site that looks just like the real thing – with
sophisticated graphics and images. In fact, the fake Web sites are near-replicas of the real one, making it hard
even for experts to distinguish between the real and fake Web sites. You enter your personal information onto
the Web site – and into the hands of identity thieves.

By Phone:
Phishers also use the phone to hunt for personal information. Some, posing as employers, call or send e-mails
to people who have listed themselves on job search Web sites.

Something’s Phishy If…
While phishing scams can be sophisticated, the following features are often indicators that something is
“phishy.” Be aware of a potential scam if:
  • Someone contacts you unexpectedly and asks for your personal information such as your financial
    institution account number, an account password or PIN, credit card number or Social Security
    number. Legitimate companies and agencies don’t operate that way.
  • The sender, who is a supposed representative of a company you do business with, asks you to confirm
    that you have a relationship with the company. This information is on record with the real company.
  • You are warned that your account will be shut down unless you “reconfirm” your financial information.
  • Links in an e-mail you receive ask you to provide personal information. To check whether an e-mail or
    call is really from the company or agency, call it directly or go to the company’s Web site (use a search
    engine to find it).
  • You’re a job seeker who is contacted by someone claiming to be a prospective employer who wants
    your personal information.

Sample Phone Calls

Sample #1:
"Is this Mr. Smith? I'm calling from XYZ Bank. Do you have a Visa® card? I need to verify your account
number because it appears that someone may be fraudulently charging purchases to your account. Can you
read me the account number and expiration date on the front? OK, now the last four digits on the back..."

Sample #2:
"Hello, Mildred Brown? I represent the ABC Company and our records show that you have an overdue bill
of $500 plus interest and penalties. You don't know anything about this bill? Well, there could be a mix-up. Is
your address 123 Main Street ? What is your Social Security number...?"

Sample #3:
"This is Detective Thompson calling from the Federal Consumer Agency. Are you Mr. White? We have
received several reports of telemarketing fraud involving attempted withdrawals from bank accounts in your
area. In order to safeguard your account, we need to confirm your account number..."

Sample Phishing E-mails:


































How To Protect Yourself From Phishers:

  • Be suspicious if someone contacts you unexpectedly and asks for your personal information. It’s hard
    to tell whether something is legitimate by looking at an e-mail or a Web site, or talking to someone on
    the phone. But if you’re contacted out of the blue and asked for your personal information, it’s a
    warning sign that something is “phishy.” Most legitimate companies and agencies don’t operate that
    way.
  • Don’t click on a link in an e-mail that asks for your personal information. It may take you to a phony
    Web site that looks just like the Web site of the real company or government agency. Following the
    instructions, you enter your personal information on the Web site – and into the hands of identity
    thieves. To check whether the message is really from the company or agency, call it directly or go to
    the company’s Web site. If you don’t have the telephone number, get it from the phone book, the
    Internet, or directory assistance. Use a search engine to find the official Web site.
  • If someone contacts you and says you’ve been a victim of fraud, verify the person’s identity before you
    provide any personal information. Legitimate credit card issuers and other companies may contact you
    if there is an unusual pattern indicating that someone else might be using one of your accounts. But
    usually they only ask if you made particular transactions; they don’t request your account number or
    other personal information. Law enforcement agencies might also contact you if you’ve been the victim
    of fraud. To be on the safe side, ask for the person’s name, the name of the agency or company, the
    telephone number, and the address. Then get the main number (see tip above) and call to find out if the
    person is legitimate.
  • Job seekers should also be careful. Some phishers target people who list themselves on job search
    sites. Pretending to be potential employers, they ask for your Social Security number and other
    personal information. Follow the advice above and verify the person’s identity before providing any
    personal information.

Where To Go For Help:

If you suspect you’ve been hooked by a phisher, act immediately.

If you provided account numbers, passwords or PINs to a phisher, notify the companies with whom you have
the accounts right away. For information about how to put a “fraud alert” on your files at the credit reporting
bureaus and other advice for ID theft victims, contact the Federal Trade Commission’s ID Theft
Clearinghouse by calling toll-free 877-438-4338. The TDD number is 202-326-2502.

Even if you didn’t get hooked, you should report phishing by contacting the National Fraud Information
Center/Internet Fraud Watch. Call toll-free 800-876-7060, TDD 202-835-0778. You should also tell the
company or agency that the phisher was impersonating. The information you provide helps to stop identity
theft.

Other identity theft help sites:

http://www.identitytheft.org
http://www.idtheftcenter.org
abcportablefireplaces.com