Fraudsters send fake emails or set up fake web sites that mimic Yahoo!'s sign-in pages (or the sign-in pages of other trusted companies, such as eBay or PayPal) to trick you into disclosing your user name and password. This practice is sometimes referred to as "phishing" — a play on the word "fishing" — because the fraudster is "fishing" for your private account information.

Typically, fraudsters try to trick you into providing your user name and password so that they can gain access to an online account. Once they steal your password, they can use your personal information to commit identity theft, charge your credit cards, empty your bank accounts, read your email, and lock you out of your online account by changing your password.

To learn more about phishing and how to identify phishing websites or emails, please visit the Yahoo! Security Center.