Danger Zone:  Telephone

Vishing—or voice phishing—is the use of fraudulent phone calls to trick people into giving money or revealing personal information. It's a new name for an old problem—telephone scams. Vishing frequently involves a criminal pretending to represent a trusted institution, company, or government agency. You may be asked to buy an extended warranty, offered a "free" vacation, told your computer is infected and you need anti-virus software, or asked to donate to charity.

Protect yourself from telephone scams

As a general guideline, be highly suspicious anytime you are requested to provide personal information over the phone.