You get an email from your bank, asking that you upgrade (or restore) your account. It claims the company is going through a system change or that they found an error in your account info. It provides a link back to the bank’s website.

If you click the link, it will take you to a website with your bank’s logo and ask you to login by entering your account number and password. However, what began as a simple upgrade could result in a downgrade of your finances. Simply put, the website is not real, and the scam artists now have your banking information.

How to avoid: ignore these messages, especially if they refer to you as "Dear Customer", instead of calling your name. Banks will never email you about any sensitive information, unless you have signed up for it. And they especially don't email you when they're upgrading their system.