Four steps to take if you think you've fallen for a phishing scam

Microsoft has posted "What to do if you've responded to a phishing scam," a set of four steps (with some details about each) you should take if you think you may have mistakenly provided personal financial or identification information in response to a fraudulent email. They've also updated and posted a set of related articles dealing with phishing and email fraud (listed and linked below).

The steps they list in the article are:

• Step 1: Report the incident

• Step 2: Change the passwords on all your accounts

• Step 3: Routinely review your credit card and bank statements

• Step 4: Use up-to-date antivirus and anti-spyware software

And they have posted more articles with information about phishing and email fraud:

• What is a phishing scam? (updated)

• How can I tell if an e-mail message is fraudulent? (new)

• The do's and don'ts of dealing with suspicious e-mail (new)

But remember: Being prepared and on the watch before the fraud ever happens is the best way to not become a victim. The links above and other resources on the 'net can help you educate yourself and people you know about the things people should do to keep from becoming victims.