Avoiding spoofing and phishing fraud

Swindlers are clever. They are constantly looking for new ways to obtain people's financial and personal information. By adhering to a few fundamental guidelines and being vigilant of tell-tale fraud-warning signs, you become better at protecting yourself against them.

We have received complaints of scammers posing as Brightspeed agents contacting consumers and requesting financial or personal information. Criminals that pose as us or one of our partners may target our clients. Please be on the lookout for calls that you didn't ask for or requests for personal information.

Fraudulent emails are commonly called “phishing” scams. Criminal callers may use a tactic called “spoofing” to make it appear on caller ID as if they are calling from a legitimate company. Follow the advice below to protect yourself against imposters who may contact you by phone or email.

• If you receive an email that seems to be from Brightspeed, pay particular attention to the sender's address. Scammers frequently send emails with real corporate logos and a genuine appearance. See below for more on safe email addresses.
  
  
• If you ever have any doubts, slow down. Criminals use a sense of urgency to persuade victims into making poor choices. If someone seems to be rushing, take a moment to reflect or seek outside opinion.
  
  
• DO visit the FTC scam alert page regularly to learn more about current scams and things to watch for.

• DO NOT provide anyone who contacts you unexpectedly any personal or financial information, including your social security number, credit or debit card number, PIN, or account number.
  
  
• You should never download programs, click random links, or install any software, when prompted to do so by a random caller or emailer.
  
  
• Never give out login details or permit access to your devices or apps.
  
  
• Don’t rely on caller ID to determine the caller's identity because con artists can impersonate real numbers.

• Hang up right away if you think someone is trying to con you. If it’s an email, keep it for evidence but don't respond to it. Write down as many details as you can and report this information to the Federal Trade Commission.
  
  
• Get in touch. If you think you’ve been contacted by someone pretending to be a Brightspeed representative or if you’ve received an email that purports to be from Brightspeed, but you think it’s fraudulent, please contact us right away to report the incident.
    
• If you suspect that you may have been conned and you are worried that your personal information has been compromised, take these further steps:
  
  
• Any accounts that might be vulnerable should have their passwords changed (as well as any other accounts that use the same password).
  
  
• If you think a device may have been compromised or hacked, run a security scan to look for malware.
  
  
• If you think your financial information may have been compromised, get in touch with your bank or credit card provider.

Because they are expert manipulators, scammers will say or do everything to win your trust. Criminals may contact you via emails, texts, or phone calls while posing as a corporate representative, in an effort to get you to divulge information that will allow them to steal your money or data. They might employ strategies like these:
 

• Convince you that your account is in danger and ask for your credit card information so they may bill you.
  
  
• Declare that one of your gadgets requires immediate technical assistance, then demand payment for the necessary repairs.
  
  
• You might be asked for remote access to a device or persuaded to install software that permits remote access.
  
  
• They might attempt to trick you into installing malicious software, such as viruses or spyware, allowing them to steal your personal data, including internet usernames and passwords.
  
  
• Ask for private data from you, including your user name, password, customer care case number, or account history.
  
  
• Insist on talking to you on the phone for a long time, or emphasize the urgency of taking action.
   

All of the above are red flags. If you notice any of these signs, stop the conversation and report the issue by contacting us.

• A customer care agent may call you and request payment information if your bill is past due and you are making a late payment—and in this specific instance alone. If you're unsure, you can use My Brightspeed to check the status of your bill online.
  
  
• An agent may call you again to follow up if you contacted Brightspeed and asked for assistance with a repair or customer care request. Your account number or payment details won't be required of you.
  
  
• A representative may call you to offer these services if you qualify for special offers or upgrades. You won't be asked for your account number or payment information; instead, you might be asked to confirm your email address so that order details can be forwarded to you.
  
  
• We may call you to confirm or postpone your appointment if you have a repair or technician appointment. The call center representative won't request payment because they will already know your account number.

In all other cases, be extremely cautious of any caller who contacts you unexpectedly, claiming to be a Brightspeed representative.

When in doubt, tell the person you will call back later. DO NOT call back using the same number they called from. Instead, call us directly or chat with us. If there is a legitimate need, our agents will assist you. 

We put great effort into safeguarding our clients from fraud. Brightspeed collaborates with leading cybersecurity specialists, to proactively thwart phishing scams and crimes. When necessary, Brightspeed assists with fraud investigations, while always preserving your privacy. The FBI receives threat intelligence from us as well, which helps them with keeping track of and monitoring information on fraudsters. Finally, we strive to inform and empower our clients so they may stop frauds in their tracks and take legal action if they are the victims of one.