Help protect yourself from phishing scams and identity theft

Phishing is a type of deception designed to steal your valuable personal data, such as credit card numbers, Windows Live IDs, other account data and passwords, or other information. It is also known as identity theft, and is a type of social engineering.

You might see a phishing scam:

• In e-mail messages, even if they appear to be from a coworker or someone you know.
• On your social networking Web site.
• On a fake Web site that accepts donations for charity.
• On Web sites that spoof your familiar sites but that use slightly different Web addresses, so you won't notice.
• In your instant message program.
• On your cell phone or other mobile device.

Often phishing scams rely on links in e-mail messages, on Web sites, or in instant messages that seem to come from a service that you trust, like your bank, credit card company, or social networking site.