Phishing
Like the sport it’s named after, phishing refers to an urgent instant message or e-mail message meant to lure recipients into responding. Often these messages will appear to be from a friend, a bank or other legitimate source asking for personal information such as names, passwords, Social Security numbers or credit card information. These messages might also direct users to phony Web sites to trick users into providing personal information. Users falling for the "bait," often have their money or identities stolen. What to do: Be suspicious of any message asking for personal or financial information. If you are unsure about a message’s authenticity, never click a link within the e-mail taking you to any Web site. Banks or other legitimate organizations are not likely to contact you in this manner due to the security risks of sharing sensitive material online. If you think the message may be legitimate, call or contact the sender using contact information you already have, not the contact information provided in the suspicious message. These types of IM or e-mail messages should be treated like spam: delete them. See also: Social Networki