For the last few years or so, there has been a steady increase in the amount of people who are out to steal your banking or credit card information.  These people are typically referred to as “credit card phishers”, and they are “phishing” for your account information in order to rob you blind, basically.  

The most common way credit card phishers find out information is by sending bulk emails to thousands of people at once.  The emails will often have a credit card or bank logo on them, and sound quite professional.  (Although, a common clue that it is fake is that it may appear to be written by a non-native English speaker).  The email may refer to you by name, but more often you will just be called “customer” or something similar.  Typically, the email will include a link to a website that will look exactly like your bank or credit card website, and ask you to log in and provide your card number and pin number, or other information that would allow someone else to use your account to make purchases.

A good way to protect yourself is to call your bank or credit card company directly when you receive this type of email.  Your financial institution will never ask you to provide your pin number by email since it is so insecure.