the usual rules apply, dont ever follow a link, always use your bank's website directly, never divulge personal data and always make sure you log out of any secure sites that you are in. Dont even reply to these emails with sarkie comments saying "haha, im not even with **** bank", This allows them to put a cookie on your machine which they can use at a later time.
Remember, There is no sick child who needs your donation in africa.
There is no bank with an unclaimed couple of million in it just waiting for your bank details to make the transfer.
There is no special charity lottery which has your email address as a winner.
If you did not enter it you will not ever win it.
Microsoft (or any other company for that matter) do not hold regular prize draws just for using outlook.
Your bank or any other bank will never send you an email saying dear reader or dear customer.
Check emails that purport to come from Ebay or paypall, if you are not currently selling or bidding it is very unlikley that paypal will tell you that you have made a transaction and lastly if you have not booked an airline ticket for some £700 or some such amount is is even more unlikley that your credit card will have been turned down so you dont have to check that they have the wrong details.
