Scam Alert! Time to Capitalize on the Economic Uncertainty

With the news of banks buying other banks and all the economic uncertainty, it is no surprise that scammers are on top of this. The new email scam offers this text and a hyper link to get you to put in a bunch of personal information (thanks to Miki at Leadership Turn):

Attention Merrill Lynch Customers!

Merrill Lynch Enhanced Security Authentication
We have enhanced the Merrill Lynch Business Center security access to further safeguard access to your account information. Click on the hyperlink below and follow the prompts to answer and record answers to five personalized security questions. In the future, we may ask, ask you for answers to these questions when you log into the Business Center to ensure that only you are accessing your account information.

While this is targeted specifically at Merrill Lynch, there will no doubt be plenty of other institutions that are misrepresented.

Remember: Credible financial institutions do not solicit personal information via email. Do not follow a link to a site that asks for personal information.

Instead, go to the home page from another browser window. If something needs to be updated on your account, it will happen when you log in.

I repeat: Never, never enter personal information on a form or Web site you accessed through a link sent to you via email.