Be careful when an unsolicited email with a link shows up in your email inbox. You must check whether the link takes you to the website that it claims it will take you. If you are careless about it, you could become the latest victim of an identity theft.

Phishing scammers repeatedly use this modus operandi to fool the unsuspecting. They send emails containing a link to numerous email addresses. The link would claim to take users to a log-in website such as Google Docs where users must feed in their personal information. But in reality the linked website would be a phishing site masquerading as a genuine website. Once scammers have your personal email ID and password, they will access your email account and steal any personal information, such as your bank account details, contained in it.

How can you prevent yourself from falling victim to phishing scams?

When you click the embedded link in unsolicited emails, always check the URL of the webpage you are directed to. If the directed page is supposed to be Google Docs, the URL will show that. If the URL address is something else, do not fill in any information. Instead, close the page immediately.

To prevent yourself from malware and spyware programs, it is also necessary that you install an advanced antivirus software Program and run regular virus scans.