Phishing (pronounced “fishing”) is an electronic scam that attempts to obtain confidential personal or financial information from its target. It takes the form of a fake message, usually an e-mail, which appears to be from a financial institution or service provider. The message usually includes the company name, logo and a link to a website which instructs you to update your account information by providing your Social Security number, bank account number, PIN, password, birth date, etc. with a dire warning if action isn’t taken. A phisher can then use your personal information to commit fraud. Learn more about phishing and how to protect yourself.