Scammers hoping to trick you into revealing personal information through login IDs, passwords or credit card information are getting better at their trade by posing as legitimate businesses and organizations.

Americans are not all that keen when it comes to protecting their identity.Compared with 143 countries represented in another survey, the U.S. ranked 27th overall in ability to detect phishing, the tactic used to obtain financial or other confidential information from Internet users.Our average 68 percent accuracy ranks just a few points above the global average. France, Sweden, Hungary, the Netherlands and Spain have the best ratings.A Verizon survey found that 23 percent of recipients open phishing messages, and 11 percent click on the fatal attachments.The threat has hit closer to home, as scammers have been targeting drivers who use the electronic E-ZPass toll-paying devices.In one recent ploy, the email, disguised with an E-ZPass logo, claims the recipient owes money on their E-ZPass accounts. The reader is asked to click on an Internet link to take care of the problem, but the link infects their computer with a virus.Another official-looking email says that due to a faulty transponder, you've gone through a toll without paying and urges you to resolve the issue by clicking on a link to pay up. This opens the door to your computer, personal information, and financial information.Turnpike officials advise that the E-ZPass toll is automatically drawn from a customer's bank account and that they don't communicate with users by email. If there is a need for contact, it is done by regular mail.In May, a fraudulent email claiming to be from the Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles was circulating.It warned: "Action Required - Fine for Traffic Violations."The email explained that "a vehicle registered to you was captured running a red light" along with a violation date, ticket number and a specified fine amount. There were also various links to pay the fine, or for more information regarding the email security service.PennDOT, however, is not affiliated with these links to other websites.There are other obvious red flags to scam emails, such as misspellings or bad grammar used in the phony correspondence.E-ZPass has a dedicated page on its website about fraudulent emails.Online scammers may not be the murdering global terrorists we see working the Internet, but they are similar in that they are constantly evolving and changing tactics to stay a step ahead of the authorities.In going after E-ZPass users, they've found a new pathway to steal your identity and drain your account.By JIM ZBICK |

tneditor@tnonline.com