—>The following (sad) letter yesterday from reader H demonstrates why phishing works:

Dear Sir:

I have an e-mail telling me that I have an online banking account with Bank of America. We have never used or will use the internet for banking.The mailing requests information. Is this actually a mailing from your bank?

The email address of the sender is "Bank of America" The underline was put in by my computer. It appears that the email was sent from New Zealand. Is this true? Is the statement that we have an account with you true? I need to know if there has been a theft of our ID. None of the links at the bottom of the email work. Thank you your help. Please share what you know about phishing with your friends and family. Below are some links that will help educate them so that they don't have to rely on their instincts to spot a fraud.

Consumer Advice: How to Avoid Phishing Scams [Anti-Phishing Group]
Recognize phishing scams and fraudulent e-mails [Microsoft]
(Photo:The Joy Of The Mundane)