If you met a stranger dressed in a business suit who said they worked for a large corporation, would you, if they asked, give them your address, telephone number and the hours you worked? If so you should NOT be too surprised to come home to an empty house.

Of course these types of people are breaking the law and they should be pursued and prosecuted. But, when it comes down to it YOU have to be responsible for your own actions. If you freely give away personal information that you don't want other people to have and did not take the time to verify that you were giving it to a trusted source then YOU are partially at fault. In both the real world and in the virtual reality of the internet, YOU need to be responsible for your own behavior.

The best defense against all types of crimes is knowledge. The more you are aware of what is happening around you the easier it is to avoid and detect situations that should be avoided. Additional regulation and policing is not necessarily the solution either -- there will always be a new way to scam people.

YOU must remain vigilant. Do NOT let yourself become another victim that only seems to be able to learn a lesson the hard way.

More info: Protecting Your Privacy

Microsoft.com: What you need to know about phishing