1) General Internet Security FAQ
For general internet security question, please see the Security 101 section our EarthLink Security Center

2) Scam and Phishing FAQ

• What's a Phisher?
• What is Identity Theft?
• How Can I Avoid Scams?
• How Do I Recognize Legitimate Email?
• What Do I Do If I've Been Scammed?

What's a Phisher?

"Phishing" (pronounced "fishing") is a scam where criminals create an email and a Web page that masquerades as a company you know and trust to steal private or financial information.

Phisher emails and Web pages are often forgeries that may look and feel completely official. The criminals steal the images and layout from real pages to fool you. It's often hard to tell what's real and what's a scam! These are professional criminals seeking to gain access to your finances.

What is Identity Theft?

Phishers are often attempting to steal your identity—to use your personal information to take over your credit accounts, open new ones, take out a loan, rent an apartment, access bank accounts, or commit other crimes while posing as you.

Because it frequently involves no physical theft, identity theft may not be noticed by its victims until significant damage has been done, several months and thousands of dollars later.

How Can I Avoid Scams?

• Use EarthLink ScamBlocker!
• Activate the junk mail filter offered by your Internet Service provider. Make sure it's activated for your account. Junk mail filters will catch a lot of scams before they get to your Inbox.
• Never email any password, credit card number, secret word, or PIN. Email is not secure.
• Change your passwords on a regular basis. In the event your password is stolen, the old, stolen password won't work after you've changed your password.
• Read "How to Spot a Phisher" on ScamBlocker.com.

How Do I Recognize Legitimate Email?

Sometimes it's difficult to tell whether an email is "official." When in doubt, it may help to keep the following in mind:

• Legitimate companies will never request that you submit your credit card number, password, secret word, PIN, or any part of your Social Security number in an email.
• Legitimate requests will direct you to update your account at an official "account management" Web site. You will not be directed to a Web site owned and operated by a third party. If a message contains email and Web addresses (URL) different from the supposed company, be very suspicious!

What Do I Do If I've been Scammed?

• If you think you've submitted sensitive personal information in response to a fraudulent email, contact your bank or credit card providers immediately!
• If you think you've given away your password to a scam, contact your Internet service provider's Customer Support to change it immediately! If you are an EarthLink customer click now on EarthLink Customer Support.
• If you find that your personal information has been used fraudulently, contact local law enforcement immediately.