The Security Mentor

"Phishing" is when a crook sends you email that looks like it came from your bank (or PayPal, or eBay) and tricks you into typing your password and account information into a computer the bad guy controls.

Security firm Sophos is one of many places with good advice on protection against phishing scams. I prefer to suggest the non-technical approach. Do the same thing you'd do if it were a phone call instead of a message on your computer. If you didn't place the call, you don't give out your credit card number.