How to Use Internet Explorer's Phishing Filter

Phishing happens when criminals set up Web sites that look like legitimate businesses but are really fronts for stealing your personal and financial information. You may sign up for a service or buy a product on these sites, and then later discover the information you transmitted was used to steal your identity or to purchase things with your credit card. It is not always easy to determine what is a legitimate Web site and what is not. Internet Explorer has come to the rescue regarding phishing by adding a phishing filter to its programming. This filter scans the latest updated information on phony Web sites several times a day and lets you know when you visit a site that is suspicious.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Internet Explorer
• Computer
• Working Internet connection

Keep Criminals From Phishing You

1. Start Internet Explorer from the desktop or 'Start' menu of your computer.
2. Look for the 'Tools' option in the toolbar at the top of the screen.
3. Click on 'Tools,' then select 'Phishing Filter.'
4. Click 'Check This Website' to look into the legitimacy of the site you are currently visiting.
5. Choose 'Turn Off Automatic Website Checking' to turn off the phishing filter. When you install Internet Explorer, the phishing filter already set to automatically check Web sites for reliability. If you do not want Internet Explorer to do this, you must ask it to stop.
6. Select 'Report This Website' to let Microsoft know that you think a particular Web site is suspicious.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have more questions about how to use Internet Explorer's phishing filter, a quick trip to its FAQs page will give you answers (see Resources below).
• Remember, memory is key. In order to use Internet Explorer, your computer must have at least 64 MB of memory in its hard drive.
• In addition to the phishing filter, some of Internet Explorer's useful security features are its pop-up and spyware blockers. Both of these programs go a long way toward making your Internet experience as pleasant and stress-free as it can be.
• Keep in mind that the steps below are intended for Internet Explorer 7.0. Other versions of the browser may not work with these steps.