“Phishing” is where fraudsters send spam or pop-up messages to lure recipients into volunteering personal, financial or credential-related information from unsuspecting victims. That information can then be used to commit identity theft, or enter password-protected sites using your account. As phishing schemes become more sophisticated, it becomes increasingly important to be vigilant.

Learn more about how to spot a bogus phishing message, the important steps you can take to avoid getting “hooked,” and what to do if you’ve mistakenly responded to a phishing email with your personal information.

[box type="info"]The “Dos, Don’ts and Nevers” of Phishing

1. DO Delete suspicious messages immediately.
2. DON’T click on any links in the message.
3. Instead, DO copy and paste the URL into a new browser window.
4. NEVER respond to an unsolicited email, or supply personal information as requested by an email, even if the message looks real.
5. NEVER supply your passwords or other sensitive information via an email message. No legitimate organization should request your password or other types of sensitive information via an email message.[/box]

What to do if you’re compromised

If you believe you might have inadvertently revealed sensitive information such as your password, you should change your password immediately.

If you provided personal financial accounts information that could be used for identity theft or fraud in response to a fraudulent e-mail claiming to be sent by outside agencies, you should immediately contact the company being spoofed.