The Department of Justice advises e-mail users to “stop, look and call” if they receive a suspicious e-mail.

Stop. Resist the urge to immediately respond to a suspicious e-mail -- and to provide the information requested -- despite urgent or exaggerated claims.

Look. Read the text of the e-mail several times and ask yourself why the information requested would really be needed.

Call. Telephone the organization identified, using a number that you know to be legitimate.