"Phishing" inqueries are a red flag to your spouse you are the only pervert in the world that PAYS to join pornsites.

Worms for bait...

The amount of phishing emails I've seen over the last couple of years is scary. They are looking more and more authentic.

There's one simple way to avoid this type of identity theft. Don't open E-mails from unknown sources.

I have been astounded at some of the stories I've heard from personal friends who have fallen for some pretty rudimentary scams. The last one I heard was a friend who keyed their phone number into some Facebook quiz or app and had a few hundred bucks charged to their phone bill.

But I thought all these people were writing to me because they wanted to be my friend.

It's amazing to me that this even still works, since there have been warnings out almost since E-mail was invented telling you that NO RESPECTABLE BUSINESS WILL EVER ASK FOR PERSONAL INFORMATION VIA E-MAIL! (Sorry for shouting) Something no one on here has advised, and I would, is that you attempt to contact that company that appears to have sent the e-mail, and report it as fraudulant. I know that most of the time, there's nothing anyone can do, but occasionally they do catch people this way. And if nothing else it will allow that company to alert it's customers that someone's phishing.

If I don't know who sent the email, I delete, period.

I automatically delete messages from unknown sources, anyway.

Most businesses are changing their policies and no longer using emails, to contact people.

If you every notice that you receive an e-mail that comes from a company that you may or may not have done business with and ask you to verify your account information within a set period of time, be highly suspicious. Do not even click on the link provided. This is a very crafty way for identity thieves to get hold of your personal information.