Authorities in the US are calling this scam "phishing." I guess it's a play on the word _fishing_, but I doubt it has anything to do with the band. :) A friend of mine manages a branch of one of the big national banks, and he says these are a huge problem--many people aren't so suspicious yet. He told me of one woman who DID register her password and, within minutes, had her entire account emptied and, interestingly, her home equity credit line maxed out. Yikes. It seems like these emails play on peoples' insecurities about the Internet as a whole. While more savvy users spot these requests as fraud, for others, they play on fears that are already there--namely that "my online account has been compromised and people are one the verge of stealing my savings!" Best, Brendan -- Brendan Riley, Ph.D. Faculty, English Department Columbia College Chicago 33 East Congress Chicago, IL 60605 Ph: 312.344.8817 Fx: 312.344.8001 briley@colum.edu http://www.curragh-labs.org/