The growth of technology has not only led to hi-tech development but also has given rise to hi-tech scams. Did you ever suspect that fake credit report sites could take advantage of your personal information? It could, and this high-tech scam is called phishing.

Do you get unsolicited emails offering credit reports online? You have to exercise caution here, as these sites could well steal your personal details. Then what? Do they make use of your credit report information? They just might! Or they may pass it to others who commit fraud or identity theft. These deceptive websites may coax you into disclosing your bank account numbers, social security information and other confidential details.

You would do yourself a great favor if you follow these precautions before answering emails that offer free credit report:

I. Do Not Click on the Link: Did you receive a free credit report offer? If you did, do not click on the link below. Try to obtain pertinent details by contacting the company over phone.

II. Look Out for Misspellings: Does the web address contain grammatical errors? It might not be an error at all, just the misspelled version of the legitimate company.

III. Beware of Manipulation: Does the companys web address really take you to the senders site? Beware of the fact that manipulation by the sender could take you to a different web address.

IV. Check for Credibility: Do you receive emails from domains other than .com? Then, you have to be skeptical. .com enjoys credibility that other domains do not.

V. Ensure the Site is Secure: Have you ever checked for lock icons in the browsers status bar? Secondly, have you checked for http in the websites URL? These are essentialities that point out that a particular site is secure.

VI. Monitor Your Credit Report: Check your credit card statements continuously to ensure that they contain no unauthorized changes.

VII. Dont Provide Personal Information: Are you being pestered for excessive personal information, like passport details? If you are, you have reasons to be suspicious.

VIII. Identity of the Site Owner: Are you having your own doubts about the identity of the site owner? Then, check for the owner of the site using a whois search.

IX. Contact Secret Service: If you are suspicious about the activities of the sender, contact the US secret service and the FTC. Do you have reasons to believe that you have been scammed? Then, file your complaint at www.ftc.gov. You may also pay a visit to FTC's Identity Theft Web site to get tips on minimizing damages from identity theft.

Your act of precaution does not end with ascertaining the credibility of the sender. As a responsible citizen, you are required to contact the secret service with your suspicions and evidence.