Identity theft via bogus e-mail links, or "phishing," is escalating, with criminals becoming ever more brazen and sophisticated in their online schemes to trick people into revealing their personal information. People do get scammed. Phishing messages that appear to be sent by trusted companies dupe 3 percent of the people who receive them, according to a survey by Gartner Inc. Phishing cost U.S. banks and credit card companies $1.2 billion last year alone, costs that ultimately are passed on to you, the consumer. This document offers some suggestions on how to be safe when using the internet.