Phishing scams

Phishing scams are an attempt to trick you into divulging sensitive personal information that allows somebody to steal your identity or empty your bank account.

These scams can come in many guises—for example a message may state that you've won the lottery or you've been selected to receive something free.

Be very skeptical if you receive an e-mail that looks like it is from your bank, broker, or other trusted company but asks you to verify or re-enter sensitive personal or financial information through e-mail, a Web site they direct you to, or a phone number they provide. Contact the institution using a phone number from a statement or type in a company Web site address in your browser to go to their site and ask about the communication.

Look for these telltale signs to spot a phishing e-mail.

• The sender is unknown to you.

• The e-mail is illiterate with grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors.

• You are asked to provide information such as an account number, phone number, or social security number.

• The e-mail address is odd or doesn’t include the business name. Legitimate businesses have their own domain names (such as aol.com or amazon.com).

• A message contains words like URGENT or SECRET, or includes lots of exclamation marks.