Is Your Direct Deposit Safe?

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When it comes to staying safe and secure online, Zyxel remains committed to the best in internet security products and services for businesses and for the home. 

Most people who get scheduled paychecks from their employers use direct deposit, where money is deposited directly in a bank account from your employer's account. But in a recent release by the FBI, the agency is strongly cautioning people against a new type of internet scam that lets cybercriminals steal paychecks via direct deposit.

According to the FBI, scammers are "phishing" by sending an email posing as a human resources employee in a way to get login credentials. Officials say if you see an email like that, it's best to not click on any links, don't respond to the email, or give any personal information. The FBI says once they have access, scammers will log in to the payroll account and change the user's bank information.

According to a post by CBS News regarding phishing: 

"Phishing is a scam that involves targeting employees through phony emails designed to bait the reader -- hence the word "phishing" -- and capture their login credentials. The login credentials are used to access individual payroll accounts in order to change bank account information, according to the agency; the cyber thieves then block alerts to consumers warning of changes to their direct deposits, which are then redirected to another account, often a prepaid card controlled by scammers. 

Employees should hover their cursor over hyperlinks in any emails to view the URL to ensure it's actually related to the company it purports to be from, and any suspicious requests should be forwarded to company IT or HR departments, the FBI advised."

For more details, visit HERE

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