Whaddya know how to recognize phishing emails or links?

The phishing attacks against your personal information such as email accounts, paypal or ebay accounts, bank information, medical records, and other financial information is not new. And still a huge security risks for majority of internet users. The latest phishing incident were users of Hotmail, Gmail and Yahoo mail services. The problem is not the service, it is the users who fall on phishing attacks sent to their inbox.

How to recognize phishing attacks using emails or links? Here's an example using ebay.com from Privacy Rights Clearinghouse website.
+++ Start eBay Exampe +++

Subject:	eBay Account Verification
Date:	Fri, 20 Jun 2003 07:38:39 -0700
From:	"eBay"
Reply-To:	[email protected]
To:

Dear eBay member,
As part of our continuing commitment to protect your account and to reduce the instance of fraud on our website, we are undertaking a period review of our member accounts.
You are requested to visit our site by following the link given below
http://arribba.cgi3.ebay.com/aw-cgi/ebayISAPI.dll?UpdateInformationConfirm&bpuser=1 <-- THIS LINK LOOKS OK BUT WHEN YOU MOVE YOUR MOUSE POINTER ON THIS LINK, YOU WILL SEE A DIFFERENT URL ADDRESS POINTING TO 192.168.99.99 (removed the bad IP)

Please fill in the required information.
This is required for us to continue to offer you a safe and risk free environment to send and receive money online, and maintain the eBay Experience.
Thank you
Accounts Management As outlined in our User Agreement, eBay will periodically send you information about site changes and enhancements. Visit our Privacy Policy and User Agreement if you have any questions.

Copyright © 1995-2003 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners.
Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the eBay User Agreement and Privacy Policy .

+++ End eBay example +++

Some approach also use a graphics captured from the original website or use official looking logos to make it more convincing.

When you receive a similar email account verification request, don't click the link. Open a new internet browser, and type the URL address and check if your account need a verification. In my own experience, my bank never send me email for account verification. Paypal from time to time send a privacy email update but not requesting to update your account information.

This a similar approach when someone send you email requesting to update your email address information for verification.

References:

• Microsoft Online Safety
• Privacy Rights Clearinghouse