Theres a new type of internet piracy called phishing (pronounced fishing). Internet thieves are fishing for your personal information. Theyre looking for ways to trick you into giving out your Social Security Number, credit card number and other personal information that they can use to their advantage. You could become a victim of identity theft that could take years to clear your financial history and personal reputation. But understanding how these internet thieves work, will help you to protect yourself from becoming a victim.
How do these thieves get your information?
Typically, you might receive an email from a company that you are familiar with that looks real. It has the company logo, they may call you by name, and the tone of the email is that they are looking out for your best interests. This email will warn you of some imminent danger to your account or credit card and that you need to take action immediately or you will suffer dire consequences. There will be a link (underlined writing usually in blue) for you to click on that will take you to their website. And guess what? The website they take you to will look like the real thing with the company logo...