TYLER - "Well, they're at it again," is the word from the Better Business Bureau Serving Central East Texas. The BBB has received reports of an e-mail scam, this time from someone claiming to be Sprint, asking for credit or debit card card numbers for an immediate payment. BBB officials say phishing scams are generally associated with e-mail messages, hijacking the name and logo of familiar companies to trick victims into divulging personal information by masquerading as a trusted source. While the phone number on the email is legitimate, the "pay now" button does not take you back to the Sprint website.

BBB offers consumers the following tips to protect against these types of scams:

* Be wary of e-mails, text messages or phone calls that request personal information.

* Don't give your personal information to anyone who contacts you by phone, email or text. Give those details only when you initiate the contact.

* If you receive a phishing email, forward it to info@easttexas.bbb.org and to ic3.gov. If you think the email might be legitimate, call back using the business' published number.

If you or someone you know is a victim of a phishing or vishing scam, you're urged to call the BBB Hotline: 903-581-8373.