Media Statement:
E-Card Fraud Awareness

Consumer security and the integrity of our brand are of great importance to Hallmark. Occasionally, we are made aware of fraudulent e-mails and other deceptive practices, which we take very seriously. While Hallmark's legal team addresses these concerns, we want our consumers to be aware of how to spot a fraudulent e-mail, which may contain major greeting card company names such as Hallmark.

Clicking on the links in these emails could download a virus onto a computer that compromises personal data. Here are steps consumers can take to reduce the chances of this happening:

• Report suspicious e-mail to the e-mail service provider so they can take action.
• File a complaint at http://www.ic3.gov/.
• Forward the suspicious e-mails to abuse@hallmark.com. (Due to the large amount of e-mail we receive at that address we will not be able to reply to your e-mail, but we will investigate.)
• Then, delete the e-mail.

If the legitimacy of a Hallmark E-Card is in question, use Hallmark's E-Card pickup.
 

What Hallmark is doing:

• Contacting the Internet providers identified as the source of the spam requesting that they shut down the imposters.
• Working with Microsoft to include the virus code in their phishing filter to protect consumers who use their web browser and e-mail client software.
• Working with anti-virus software corporations to get the virus code added to virus definition updates.
• Reviewing Hallmark's E-Card notification and pickup procedures.
• Educating consumers about how to avoid E-Card abuse.

 How to tell if a Hallmark E-Card notification is real:

1. The subject line of legitimate E-Card notifications from Hallmark will say: "A Hallmark E-Card from (name of the sender)" not a generic term like "friend," "neighbor" or "family member."
2. The e-mail notification will come from the sender's e-mail address, not Hallmark.com.
3. The notification will include a link to the E-Card on Hallmark.com, as well as a URL that can be pasted into a browser.
4. The URL will begin with http://hallmark.com/ followed by characters that identify the individual E-Card. Hover your mouse over the words "click here" in your e-mail. If you do not see the URL above, it is not a legitimate Hallmark E-Card.
5. Hallmark E-Cards are not downloaded and they are not .exe files.
6. In addition, Hallmark.com will never require an E-Card recipient to enter a user name or password nor any other personal information to retrieve an E-Card.

If the legitimacy of a Hallmark E-Card is in question, use Hallmark's E-Card pickup.

E-mail Safety Tips:

• Do not open e-mails from unknown senders.
• Do not open an e-mail you know to be spam. A code embedded in spam advertises that you opened the e-mail and confirms your address is valid, which in turn can generate more spam.
• If you receive an attachment that you are not expecting, don't open it, even if it's from someone you know. First read the e-mail, and make sure the attachment is most likely legitimate. If you're still not sure, call or e-mail the sender to confirm, but do not reply to the original e-mail.
• Some fraudulent e-mails that appear to be from financial companies (PayPal, banks, credit card companies, etc.) direct the reader to click on a link to verify or confirm account details. Never click these links. Instead, call the company if you are concerned about your account.