Ever received an email from PayPal, eBay, or a financial institution asking you to log onto a website to confirm your online user ID and password or other personal password? Well, if you have, you have seen a scam called phishing.

It is called phishing because criminals fish the water with millions of pieces of spam, hoping a few fish will swallow the bait. The unsuspecting user thinks that they are going to the companies actual site, when in reality they are going to the criminals site. Pretty nasty eh? Well, don't be afraid.  Fortunately, there are some ways that you can help protect yourself from becoming a victim of a phishing scam.

Steps to Take if You Have Fallen Victim to a Phishing Scam

If you have fallen victim to a phishing scam there are some steps that you should take.  It is crucial that you take these steps ASAP because phishing scam victims are often victims of identity theft.

1. Immediately contact all compromised card issuers. If you gave your password to the spoofed site, change the password on the legitimate site and any site where you use that password for that matter.
2. Contact your credit bureaus.
3. Report the incident. In the US file a report at ftc.gov and than visit the FTC's Identity Theft Website. Additional information on identity theft can be found on my Identity Theft page. In Canada, report the incident online at the RECOL website. You can also contact with any info at 1-888-495-8501.

Phishing Scams: Free Anti-Phishing Information & Tips

• Phishing Scam Prevention Tips
• Steps  to Take if You Have Fallen Victim to a Phishing Scam