It begins with the same kind of e-mail message crooks often use to steal your bank or credit card numbers:

"We are notifying you that your VISA card is now deactivated and you will not be able to use it. ... This is a security measure made by your bank. ..."

The difference is how it asks you to respond. Rather than directing you to an Internet site, the latest wrinkle tells victims to call a toll-free number to reactivate their cards.

As soon as you key in your account number, you've been had.

With a growing number of consumers on the alert for traditional phishing scams -- fraudulent e-mails that try to trick you into giving out personal information of the Internet -- criminals have been looking for a new approach.

They've apparently found credit card holders are more likely to respond if they're given a phone number to call. That is, after all, what we have to do to activate the cards after they arrive in the mail.

This kind of crime even has been dubbed, vishing, short for voice phishing.

There's more you can do to protect yourself against identity theft. Our checklist will make it harder for anyone to make you a victim.