O/T: Fraud Alerts Following The Equifax Breach

I realize that this isn't a Detroit-specific topic but probably a discussion worth having. Hopefully more detail than what one normally reads and see on television.

I have gotten an email indicating that a suspected fraudulent declined transaction [[this was on an American Express card).

Now today I got a similar 'notice' and an email indicating that I had changed my email notification account.

It came complete with a link to a webpage which looked damn like American Express, had the HTTPS and American Express as part of the domain name. I could not tell that it was a fake logon webpage.

Then it starts asking me to verify this and that.

Bottom line is that it looks so authentic that even someone who knows IT might not think twice about it.

Turns out it is fraudulent. The clue at the end was an Australian telephone number. Also it was addressed: "Dear Card member".

Bottom line: This phishing attempt is so damn sophisticated that many could be fooled before they guessed what was happening.

The days apparently of Dear crdmembr [[misspelled words) emails are gone. The hackers in Russia [[or elsewhere) seem to have been superseded by smarter hackers.

Bottom line: I would not take any email as legitimate email unless it has your name.

I also think calling the credit card issuer is the best way to proceed.

And, fraud alerts and also blocks for new credit, unless one is going to apply for new credit. Changed my online account password.

I had fraud alerts placed during summer. I requested a new account number in this case.

I just hope someone isn't going to try to create a fake identity. My hope is that I have protected myself from any attempts to open new accounts, etc.

This is a case where thinking twice or three times before acting is the best thing. How can I be 100% sure...