phishing

    ("brand spoofing", "carding", after "fishing")
   /fishing/ Sending e-mail that claims to be from some
   well-known organisation, e.g. a bank, to trick the recipient
   into revealing information for use in identity theft.  The
   user is told to visit a website where they are asked to
   enter information such as passwords, credit card details,
   social security or bank account numbers.  The website usually
   looks like it belongs to the organisation in question and may
   silently redirect the user to the real website after
   collecting their data.

   For example, a scam started in 2003 claimed that the user's
   eBay account would be suspended unless he updated his credit
   card information on a given website.

   (2006-01-19)