Colorectal Cancer Coalition

Watch Out for Phony H1N1 Email

The Centers for Disease Control is warning the public about fraudulent emails that appear to come from the CDC and tell people to create a “Personal H1N1 Vaccination Profile” on the CDC website.

Clicking on a link in the email takes the receiver to a site that looks very much like the CDC’s own web pages.  Once there, readers are encouraged to download a file which loads a malicious program on their computers which can collect sensitive information and steal identities.

The CDC stresses that they are not sponsoring a personal vaccination profile program requiring registration online.

To avoid such computer attacks, known as Phishing, the CDC recommends:

• Do not follow unsolicited links and do not open or respond to unsolicited email messages.
• Use caution when visiting un-trusted websites.
• Use caution when entering personal information online.

This news article was originally posted on December 2nd, 2009 and was accurate at the time of publication. Since then, information may have changed or links may now be outdated. Please call our Answer Line 1-877-427-2111 for the latest information, or talk to your doctor before making any medical decisions.

Posted by Kate Murphy on December 2nd, 2009
Tags: CDC, H1N1, Phishing

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