Phishers getting smarter

The newest technique phishers (online scammers) use to separate us from our money is proper spelling and grammar, the New York Times reports. Indeed, you used to be able to catch these scam emails at their game because they looked like they were written by a kid. Phishers are getting more prolific and more sophisticated, so be sure not to be duped into "securing" your financial information or "updating" your account by clicking on a link to, say, Citibank's Web site and giving the scammer your password or social security number. In fact, the Anti-Phishing Working Group told the Times it has seen "492 different mass-mailings intended to fool Citibank customers." In this case, Citibank is just as much a victim of identity theft as its customers could be. See "Even kids can be phishers" for links to anti-phishing tips.