Cybercriminals are continually conspiring to create new ways to obtain sensitive information. These predators prey on the public for any private information they can steal, and phishing by email is their most common method of mayhem. These bogus emails contain a link that you'll be enticed to click. They may alert you to supposed fraudulent activity that needs your attention, or they may claim to have a prize for you. When you click the link, you'll be asked to enter information — if you enter that information, it will go straight to the scammers.﻿﻿

Broadly speaking, there are two types of phishing scams. Conventional phishing is crude and widespread, landing in a random collection of email addresses the scammers could cobble together. Spear phishing is more focused, and scammers will take the time to impersonate a person, company, or government agency that you'd expect to receive an email from.﻿﻿

Being informed is the best defense and some telltale signs let you know you're being phished.﻿﻿ Below, you'll find a rundown of signs to look out for, along with links to several quizzes you can take to test your phish-smelling acumen.