Posted April 10, 2010
We have compiled a list of top 10 all time phishing scams. If you receive a similar message in your inbox you should delete it and not follow the links in the message. If you want to check your account, you should type the bank or company website directly into your web browser, or add a bookmark, rather than following links in an email. If you are unsure if an email you receive is legitimate, visit the companies website directly, phone the company, or contact their Customer Services or fraud department (usually This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) to confirm that they sent the mail.


Protect yourself from being scammed
The best way to keep yourself from being tempted to respond to a phishing scam is to prevent them from landing in your email box in the first place. You may find it useful to have a separate email address for financial institutions, one for trusted friends and family, and one for general or public use. Many email providers will allow you to redirect emails from each of these different addresses to one account to minimize the inconvenience of checking each account. Do everything possible to keep the address you use for financial transactions as private as possible.
If you do receive a message you suspect to be a phishing scam, call the customer service phone number right away to confirm whether you've received an actual message or not. In addition, almost every bank and credit card lender has a website where you can report suspicious emails and instant messages. Typically, they will ask you to fill out a simple form that will give them enough information to trace the origin of the perpetrator.
For more information check out – Federal Trade Commission’s website - http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/
