2007 Microsoft® Office System Inside Out

Avoiding Phishing Schemes

Personal information is valuable. Some people want to get yours and other people’s through fraudulent means for their own financial gain. They try to trick you into disclosing your information by sending an e-mail message or directing you to a Web site that you think you ought to trust. They disguise their criminal intent by imitating recognizable names and brands. In other words, they go "phishing" with the hope that they’ll catch something—your password or PIN, along with your bank account or credit card number, or just your name and phone number, which are all good places to start if you’re trying to steal another person’s identity. Once criminals have information like this, they might be able to obtain a loan in your ...