Staying Safe on the Internet

Just received the following email from Yahoo Search Marketing:

Dear Advertiser, With "phishing" attempts and other types of fraudulent activity affecting Internet users these days, we wanted to take this opportunity to remind you of our policies regarding personal information. The most important thing to remember is: We will never ask you for any private information in an email, nor will we proactively contact you by phone and ask for contact, account or financial information. Report Fraudulent Emails If you ever receive an email claiming to be from Yahoo! (or suggesting a connection to your business through Yahoo!) that asks for private information like account details, a password, or credit card or other financial information, do not respond to it. Instead, please forward the email to our security department at phishing@cc.yahoo-inc.com. This type of email fraud is called "phishing," because it's designed to lure recipients into sharing private information. We invite you to learn more about phishing—like what to do if you think you've been "phished"—at http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/abuse/. Unfortunately, this is an issue affecting all Internet companies and users, and we take it very seriously. You can also find a guide to online security at http://security.yahoo.com/. How to Beat the Phishers To help you protect yourself against phishing attacks, we encourage you to follow these basic tips: Be alert for suspicious emails. Do not reply to email or pop-up messages asking for personal or financial information. Regularly log into online accounts and check credit and debit card statements to ensure that all transactions are legitimate. Use personal security technologies such as anti-virus, firewalls and anti-spam software, and keep them up to date. Yahoo! is fighting phishing scams by deploying advanced technologies, collaborating across our industry, supporting public policy efforts, and increasing consumer awareness. It's that last one—consumer awareness-that we'd like to reinforce with you. Don't be fooled by official-looking emails from other parties claiming to be Yahoo! or acting on Yahoo!'s behalf! Remember, we won't ask you for confidential information in an email or a phone call, unless you initiate it to us—ever. Sincerely, Your Partners at Yahoo! Search Marketing TM and/or ® and © Yahoo! Search Marketing 2007. All rights reserved. Yahoo! Search Marketing is located at 3333 Empire Avenue, Burbank, CA 91504 USA Patents | Copyright Act | Trademark Info | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use For more information about how Yahoo! Search Marketing uses your information, please see the Privacy Policy.

This is good advice for anyone. PayPal Never asks for personal information via the internet. Banks don't either.

If something seems "wierd" to you about someone asking for information. Trust your gut. Be safe, don't give out your personal information.