If an offer sounds too good to be true, check with scam sites such as ScamBusters (www.scambusters.org), which have exhaustive listings of various types of online scams.
Security software such as spam filters can help to flag possible scam messages. Make sure you have anti-virus software, a firewall and a spam filter installed, and update the software at least once a week, because scammers and virus writers come up with new tricks all the time.
Some software even allow you to enter a blacklist of sensitive information, such as credit card numbers and personal identification numbers. Whenever someone keys in such information, the software will blank it out so it is unintelligible to the recipient.
Check your bank accounts and credit card statements for suspicious transactions, and quickly alert your bank if you notice anything untoward.
SOURCE: SYMANTEC, TREND MICRO