In our final post of the week the Internet Explorer team have compiled a list of top tips to help you against the threat of phishing scams.

1.  Make sure you have the latest Internet Explorer installed on your machine with SmartScreen filters turned on http://www.microsoft.com/uk/windows/internet-explorer/browse-with-confidence.aspx?WT.mc_id=Search&WT.srch=1

2.  Recognise a phishing email. Emails sent to you may look authentic but simply techniques such as ‘typo-squatting’ usually give websites away. For example rather than “www.microsoft.com” it might be typed “www.micosoft.com”, “www.mircosoft.com” or “www.verify-microsoft.com”. For more information visit http://www.microsoft.com/protect/fraud/phishing/symptoms.aspx

3.  Be suspicious of any email with urgent requests for personal financial information

4.  Avoid filling out forms in email messages that ask for personal financial information. You should only communicate information such as credit card numbers or account information via a secure website or the telephone

5.  Install up-to-date antivirus and antispyware software. Some phishing e-mail contains malicious or unwanted software that can track your activities or simply slow your computer. Try new antivirus and comprehensive computer health services like Windows Live OneCare. To help prevent spyware or other unwanted software, download Windows Defender

6.  Check website addresses! When reading your emails, hover your cursor over the links in the email, whilst the cursor is over the link, look at the status bar at bottom of the screen which will show the correct URL for the link.        

7.  Always ensure that you’re using a secure website when submitting credit card or other sensitive information via your Web browser

8.  Don’t use the same username and password details for multiple accounts – once the data snatcher has access to one account, it will be easy for them to access all the others.