If your paycheck hits your bank account through direct deposit , be on the lookout for emails requesting personal information including log-in credentials -- they could be a phishing scam Attack.Phishing by hackers who want to access your bank account . The FBI warning comes as cyber criminals target the online payroll accounts of employees in a variety of industries , especially those in education , healthcare and commercial aviation . What is phishing Attack.Phishing ? It 's a scam that involves targeting employees through phony emails designed to bait Attack.Phishing the reader -hence the word `` phishing Attack.Phishing `` - and capture their login credentials . The login credentials are used to access individual payroll accounts in order to change bank account information , according to the agency ; the cyber thieves then block alerts to consumers warning of changes to their direct deposits , which are then redirected to another account , often a prepaid card controlled by scammers . Employees should hover their cursor over hyperlinks in any emails to view the URL to ensure it 's actually related to the company it purports to be from , and any suspicious requests should be forwarded to company IT or HR departments , the FBI advised . Most importantly , do not supply login credentials or personally identifying information in response to any email , the agency said .