If you know what is the 'Fishing' then it's very easy to understand the definition of 'Phishing'. Just replace letter 'F' from the word Fishing with 'Ph'. Yes I am not joking. I mean it! Phishing is higher level of spam. Phishing is nothing but fishing in the sea of Internet. The victimized Net users are the fishes hooked by the hackers.

Phishing & Spoof Web sites

The role of hacker is to lure the innocent Netizens by sending an e-mail from spoof sites, pseudo claiming to be an legitimate enterprise in an attempt to force the user into surrendering private information such as password, credit card number, and social security number etc; which will be used for identity theft.

The hyperlink in the e-mail directs the innocent user to a spoof Web site where they are asked to enter personal information like passwords, social security, and bank account numbers. Basically hackers create Spoof Web sites to steal the user's personal information.

The Idea Behind Spoof Sites

I can give you the well-known example in which users received Spam e-mails from hackers misleading innocent users. As if these mails came from eBay, claiming that the user's account was about to be suspended unless he clicked on the hyperlink in the e-mail and update the credit card information hold by the genuine eBay web site. The idea behind this scam is very simple as it is relatively simple to make a Web site look like a legitimate site. That is why the Phishing is also called brand spoofing.

Tips To Stop Phishing & Report Phishing

* If you smell anything fishy (phishy) or if you received an e-mail that appears to be from your bank requesting you click a hyperlink in the e-mail and verify your online banking information. Simply delete such e-mail and make it thumb rule... never click that hyperlink in the e-mail.

* Contact your bank or financial institution on phone and confirm whether it has sent you such type of e-mail.

* Report Phishing to Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

* Send Internet Phishing scam reports to local authorities like police and crime bureau.

* Send details of a Phishing scam to the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) to help them to build database of Phishing scams, and to alert the Netizens.

* Last but not the least if you can't afford to neglect or you are tempted to think that the hyperlink in the received e-mail is worth to click... take a deep breath, think twice before clicking that suspicious hyperlink and copy and paste the URL (hyperlink) into the web browser's address field and log on. This will help you to land on legitimate Web site instead of spoof Web site.

Popular Targets Of Phishers

1) Banks & Financial Institutions.

2) Credit card companies.

3) Auction portals.

4) Online stores.

5) Online stock trading companies.

How To Smell Phishing?

It is very difficult for e-mail recipients to guess what they have in their mailbox. They can't guess Whether it is legitimate e-mail from an organization With whom they do transactions. Although the "From" Field of the e-mail may have the web site address of That organization, and the hyperlink may also appear, If the sender insists on clicking that hyperlink and Unfortunately you click that hyperlink you will land To a spoof Web site. To avoid this situation you must Have that sense to smell something fishy (phi shy) Because any legitimate web site never ask you to Update your personal information simply by sending a Hyperlink through the e-mail, use your commonsense and Ask yourself a simple question, why the legitimate web Site would ask you to update your personal information through a hyperlink via e-mail, since that organization has its own legitimate web site? I hope you have got the answer.

Krishna Pai is a webmaster and a writer. Get Internet Security tips, Computer Tutorials, reviews, Hardware & Software Tips, How to guides at

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