Cyber Statements

ANCHOR LEAD:
THESE DAYS MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE PAYING THEIR BILLS ONLINE... OPTING TO RECEIVE E-STATEMENTS RATHER THAN PAPER STATEMENTS. ALTHOUGH IT'S CONVENIENT, CONSUMER ADVOCATES SAY THERE ARE SOME DRAWBACKS THAT CAN COST YOU BIG TIME. ____ EXPLAINS.

TRACK ONE Length: 05
WHEN IT COMES TO PAYING BILLS... SHARON DITCHECK DECIDED TO TRASH HER PAPER STATEMENTS. INSTEAD...

SOT
NO KEY
"I pay all my bills online."

TRACK TWO Length: 07
SOURCE: American Bankers Association's 2005/2006 Study of Consumer Payment Preferences
SHARON'S JUST ONE OF MILLIONS OF CUSTOMERS GOING PAPERLESS. IN FACT, TWENTY FOUR PERCENT OF MONTHLY BILLS WERE PAID ONLINE LAST YEAR.

SOT
KEY @: 16 Sharon Ditchek, Pays Bills Online
"I never have to check my mail, it just comes. It's easy, convenient."

TRACK THREE Length:08
BUT PETER CASSIDY OF THE ANTI-PHISHING WORKING GROUP WARNS E-PAYERS BEWARE... EMAILED STATEMENTS ARE THE NEWEST WAY PHISHERS ARE HOOKING VICTIMS....

SOT
KEY @: 32 Peter Cassidy, Anti-Phishing Working Group
"It's preying on someone's familiarity with the bill paying process. A convincing email of this type would look exactly like the bill they're used to getting."

TRACK FOUR Length: 10
FRAUDSTERS HOPE YOU'LL SUPPLY THEM WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION BY FOLLOWING A LINK IN THE EMAIL THAT DIRECTS YOU TO A FAKE LOGIN PAGE. IF YOU ENTER YOUR USERNAME AND PASSWORD...

SOT
KEY @:45 Peter Cassidy, Anti-Phishing Working Group
"It would give them enough information to let's say you know organize an identity theft scam."

TRACK FIVE Length: 05
OR IF THEY GET ACCESS TO CREDIT CARD, BANK, OR RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS, THEY CAN WIPE YOU OUT.

SOT
KEY @: 55 Sharon Ditchek, Pays Bills Online
"It's kind of scary because you don't know what's real."

TRACK SIX Length: 09
JIM HOOD WITH CONSUMER AFFAIRS DOT COM SAYS PHISHING'S NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH E -STATEMENTS... THEY SOMETIMES GET CAUGHT IN SPAM FILTERS CAUSING YOU TO MISS A PAYMENT.

SOT
KEY @: 1:08 Jim Hood, Consumer Affairs.com
"You could really end up paying a fortune in late fees."

TRACK SEVEN Length: 10
SHARON'S NEVER HAD A PROBLEM RECEIVING HER E-BILLS. SO SHE'S GOING TO KEEP PAYING ON THE WEB, BUT NOW THAT SHE KNOWS PHISHERS ARE AFTER HER INFORMATION TOO... SHE'LL BE A LITTLE MORE CAREFUL.

SOT
NO KEY
"I'll look out for it and make sure that when I'm paying my bills, I know what information I'm entering and where it's going."

ANCHOR TAG:
OUR EXPERTS SAY PAPER STATEMENTS ARE THE SAFEST WAY TO GO, BUT IF YOU'RE OPTING FOR EBILLS, BE SMART ABOUT WHO YOU SEND ANY INFORMATION TO.
IF YOU DO RECEIVE AN EMAIL YOU THINK MAY BE A PHISHING SCAM, CASSIDY SAYS PROTECT YOURSELF BY CALLING THE COMPANY THAT SUPPOSEDLY SENT THE EMAIL BEFORE YOU ENTER ANY INFORMATION. ASK THEM TO VERIFY THAT IT'S REALLY FROM THEM.

SOURCE INFORMATION:
FOR CLIENT-STATION USE ONLY
The information provided below is for client-station use only. It is provided to help you obtain answers to any additional questions you may have and to help you localize a story. This private contact information, including phone numbers, addresses and email addresses, cannot be given to viewers nor posted on your Website. It is for internal station use only. Any exceptions to this will be clearly noted. Thank you

Peter Cassidy
Anti-Phishing Working Group
30 Rice Street
Cambridge, MA
617-491-2952

The Anti-Phishing Working Group is the global pan-industrial and law enforcement association focused on eliminating the fraud and identity theft that result from phishing, pharming and email spoofing of all types. Cassidy says phishing emails that look like they're e-statements are the newest way scammers are attacking consumers.

Jim Hood
ConsumerAffairs.com
11350 Random Hills Road
Suite 800
Fairfax VA 22030
703-359-6800

Jim Hood founded ConsumerAffairs.com in 1998. He says that receiving paper statements is the safest way for consumers to avoid fraud and issues with late payments.