‘Phishing’ Scam Targets TSP Participants

The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board alerted Thrift Savings Plan participants of a “phishing” scam in a March 17 memo, the day after the scam was discovered. The notice described it as an unsolicited e-mail with a link to a bogus Web site appearing to be the thrift plan’s account-access site. The bogus site asks for a recipient’s Social Security number and Thrift Savings Plan personal identification number. Entering this information takes the user to another screen that asks for financial information, including a credit card number. As long as participants have not responded to this scam e-mail, their accounts have not been compromised, investment board officials said. Those who did respond should contact their financial institutions immediately for guidance. They should also call the Thrift Savings Plan at (877) 968-3778 and ask to have their account access blocked, according to the TSP.