We hear about them all the time now, data breaches where a vast amount of personal information is compromised. And yet, most identity thieves get your information the old-fashioned way. They steal your mail, snatch your purse or snag financial documents - that have not been shredded - from the trash.

They also use e-mail to trick you into giving them the account numbers and passwords they want.

"Approach all incoming e-mails or incoming communications with a healthy level of skepticism," says Tim Callan, a vice president at Verisign, a recognized leader in online security. "If you're getting an e-mail that says it's from your bank but it says something that doesn't sound right to you, there's a decent chance that it's not right."

The only way to know for sure is to check it out before you do anything. Remember: on the Internet there is no undo button. Once you click send or submit that personal information is gone. There is no getting it back.

Just remember this simple rule: never respond to an e-mail requesting personal information. Don't click on a link. Don't call the phone number. Either one could be bogus.

If you want to see if it's legit contact the company or financial institution using the phone number you have for them.

For More Information:

Federal Trade Commission: Fight Back Against Identity Theft

Identity Theft Resource Center: Scam Alerts

Recognize phishing scams and fraudulent e-mails