Four Tips to Avoid Phishers

In the five or so minutes it will take you to read this article, nearly 100 people will become victims of identity fraud, with total losses of more than $600,000, according to a survey by Javelin Strategy & Research. A recent random test of eBay (EBAY Quote) community members shows 11% fell for a typical spoof or phishing scam, which account for about 10% of all identity fraud cases each year.

As you're buying or selling goods on eBay, here are four tips for protecting yourself online.

1. Your eBay and PayPal passwords should be different. Each should have eight characters, varying four letters and four numbers (e.g., 4j2o1m9s).

2. Never open any email from eBay or PayPal from your regular email account. Always go to "My eBay," scroll down the left side and click "My Messages." If the email really is from eBay, it will be duplicated there. For "real" PayPal messages, log in to your Paypal account. Any important information will be in the top left-hand corner of your main PayPal page....