How phishing works
How to protect yourself
What to do if you get phished

Phishing is when a scammer tries to trick you into supplying your personal details. They usually contact you by email claiming to be from a trusted source like eBay, PayPal or a financial institution. It can be very hard to tell these fakes apart from the genuine article.

Phishing emails usually contain links to a fake website where you will be asked to enter details like your password or account number. The scammers then capture your details, gain access to further personal information and attempt to commit fraud using your identity, also known as identity theft.

How phishing works

Even the most experienced internet users can get caught out by a phishing email.
Click here to find out how phishing works.

How to protect yourself

The good news is that you can outfox the fraudsters and protect yourself online by taking these eight steps to staying safe:

• Never reply to emails that ask for personal information.
• Get a safe browser.
• Update your anti-virus software.
• Check your messages in My eBay.
• Download the eBay Toolbar.
• Report suspicious emails.
• Choose a strong password and change it regularly.
• Use a PayPal Security Key for extra protection.