Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter urges all Hoosiers to be on the lookout for an official looking email purporting to be from Chase bank and promising customers $20 for completing an online survey and providing personal information.

"Yet again technologically savvy identity thieves are tricking people into providing their personal account information and social security number through very official looking emails," said Attorney General Steve Carter. "Hoosiers must guard their personal information the same as they would their purse or wallet and never give away information when solicited, no matter how enticing the offer."

The email is addressed to a "Chase Bank Customer who has been chosen to participate in a quick survey". By participating, the solicitation claims the customer will be rewarded with a $20 deposit into their bank account. If the consumer clicks on the link provided, they are taken to a website which looks similar to an authentic Chase webpage. A series of questions are followed by a prompt to provide online account access information, bank account numbers, and the last four digits of the social security number.

Chase's website claims that it is not their practice to:

* Send e-mail that requires you to enter personal information directly into the e-mail

* Send e-mail threatening to close your account if you do not take the immediate action of providing personal information

* Send e-mail asking you to reply by sending personal information

* Share your name with any contacts outside our firm in a manner inconsistent with our Privacy Policy

"Throughout the past several years we have seen an increase in these types of phishing scams. As the scam artists get craftier, Hoosiers must also be aware of the techniques employed by these individuals," Carter added.

Consumers who receive this fraudulent email are urged to report it to the Indiana Attorney General's Consumer Fraud Division online at www.in.gov/attorneygeneral or by calling 1-800-382-5516.