Q. Lately, I've been getting a lot of e-mail messages that look like they are from my bank or my credit union. Are these for real?

A. No, this kind of e-mail usually is a form of fraud, according to the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. The consumer advocate agency encourages everyone to be very careful about sending out information and to be wary of unsolicited e-mails and surveys.

State spokeswoman Christine Hirasa said you shouldn't give out any personal information unless you initiated the contact — or if you know the person and it's appropriate for them to need the data.

Some of these e-mails look legitimate, complete with letterhead. They typically start with innocuous questions such as: Do you know what kinds of bills can be paid online? Sometimes they offer a reward of $25 or $50 for members who complete the survey.

Sometimes they say that there has been a problem reported about the accounts, so they need information to fix it. Consumer protectors warn that it's another form of fraud or what's called "phishing." But the official look can fool people into providing personal information.

The Hawai'i State Federal Credit Union, the largest local credit union, was targeted last month and some of the bogus messages are still going out. Local banks have been targeted in the past.

Hawai'i State Federal Credit Union spokeswoman Pauwilo Look said one bogus Web site was shut down. She recommends the Federal Trade Commission Web site, www.ftc.gov, as a source of helpful tips.

"If people take the time to read through it, it has a lot of really good information," Look said, not only on the e-mail scams but also on such issues as the "do not call" list.

Look said they got the first complaint calls about the bogus messages last month, and the complaints are still coming in. She said people rushing through their e-mail may be fooled. "It is very cleverly worded," she said.

Meanwhile, state consumer official Hirasa takes the old expression one step further. "If something looks too good to be true, it is. Not it probably is, it is."