Phishing

Spammers will use a technique called "phishing" when sending emails to obtain your personal information. Phishing, is an attack that uses "spoofed" e-mails and fraudulent websites designed to fool recipients into divulging personal financial data such as credit card numbers, account usernames and passwords, social security numbers, etc. "By hijacking the trusted brands of well-known banks, online retailers and credit card companies, phishers are able to convince up to 5% of recipients to respond to them." (Anti-Phishing Working Group)

If you have to fill out confidential information over the internet, make sure it is a secure site. To confirm this, make sure the address starts with "https://" instead of just "http://". Being cautious will ensure the confidentiality of your personal information.