Sample Letters to Report Phishing

Sample Letter to Government Representative Via Email

<DATE>
<EMAIL ADDRESS>
<SUBJECT>

Dear Representative _________:

I am writing to urge you to help fight the growing criminal enterprise of phishing scams by supporting federal bill S. 472, also known as the Anti-phishing Act of 2005.

As introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy, this bill's intent is to criminalize Internet scams involving fraudulently obtaining personal information, scams commonly known as phishing. This bill would aid official law enforcers not only by more clearly citing phishing scams as a criminal offense facing severe penalties, but by outlawing the creation of counterfeit websites and misleading emails with the intent to carry on any activity which would be a federal or state crime of fraud or identity theft.

In 2003 alone, 57 million U.S. adults reported to having thought they received a phishing email. More than 1.4 million users were victims of identity theft fraud, costing banks and card issuers $1.2 billion in direct losses (as reported by research and analysis company Gartner Inc.) It's frightening to imagine how these statistics may rise in 2005, as the Anti-Phishing Working Group reported a 42% increase of new, unique phishing emails between December 2004 and January 2005.

Data like this tells us what an escalating problem phishing is. And due to phishing's very nature, beyond damaging the financial situations of its individual and corporate victims, phishing erodes America's trust in the Internet and stunts the capabilities of such an exceptional medium of communication and commerce.

Congress has found, as stated in S. 472, that American society is increasingly dependent on the Internet for communications, entertainment, commerce, and banking. For the Internet to reach its full potential in these and other respects, it must continue to be a trustworthy medium. This means, for example, that Internet users should be able to trust the stated origin of Internet communications and the stated destination of Internet hyperlinks. Naturally, it follows that if phishing is allowed to continue its current growth trends, the consumer's necessary confidence in the Internet will not be possible.

I urge you to become a cosponsor of the Anti-phishing Act of 2005, so that criminals may be brought to justice before defrauding victims. I also encourage you to press the Justice Department to continue to release material such as their 2005 "Special Report on 'Phishing.'" Action such as this will educate the populace and prevent further damages from phishing.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
<YOUR NAME HERE>
<SEND>

Sample Letter to Government Representative to Print Out and Send Via Regular Mail

<Your Address Input>
<Date Input>

The Honorable <Your Representative Input>
<The representative's address>

Dear Representative <Last name input>:

I am writing to urge you to help fight the growing criminal enterprise of phishing scams by supporting federal bill S. 472, also known as the Anti-phishing Act of 2005.

As introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy, this bill's intent is to criminalize Internet scams involving fraudulently obtaining personal information, scams commonly known as phishing. This bill would aid official law enforcers not only by more clearly citing phishing scams as a criminal offense facing severe penalties, but by outlawing the creation of counterfeit websites and misleading emails with the intent to carry on any activity which would be a federal or state crime of fraud or identity theft.

In 2003 alone, 57 million U.S. adults reported to having thought they received a phishing email. More than 1.4 million users were victims of identity theft fraud, costing banks and card issuers $1.2 billion in direct losses (as reported by research and analysis company Gartner Inc.) It's frightening to imagine how these statistics may rise in 2005, as the Anti-Phishing Working Group reported a 42% increase of new, unique phishing emails between December 2004 and January 2005.

Data like this tells us what an escalating problem phishing is. And due to phishing's very nature, beyond damaging the financial situations of its individual and corporate victims, phishing erodes America's trust in the Internet and stunts the capabilities of such an exceptional medium of communication and commerce.

Congress has found, as stated in S. 472, section 2, that "American society is increasingly dependent on the Internet for communications, entertainment, commerce, and banking. For the Internet to reach its full potential in these and other respects, it must continue to be a trustworthy medium. This means, for example, that Internet users should be able to trust the stated origin of Internet communications and the stated destination of Internet hyperlinks." Naturally, it follows that if phishing is allowed to continue its current growth trends, the consumer's necessary confidence in the Internet will not be possible.

I urge you to become a cosponsor of the Anti-phishing Act of 2005, so that criminals may be brought to justice before defrauding victims. I also encourage you to press the Justice Department to continue to release material such as their 2005 "Special Report on 'Phishing.'" Action such as this will educate the populace and prevent further damages from phishing.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely, 
<YOUR NAME HERE>

*Sample Letters are from http://www.fofg.org