So someone comes to you in a restaurant-a complete stranger and ask to look at your driving license . What to do? Show it to that person? You should be crazy air to.
However, the same blindness to the security happens all the time when a person is fooled by a "phishing" e-mail by typing the password and username for their bank, or it can be the login credentials for their PayPal account or health plan carrier.
Phishing emails are a favorite scam cybercriminals. They work.
By definition, phishing scams are usually fraudulent emails appearing to be from legitimate businesses (eg, your university, your ISP, your bank). These messages usually direct you to a fake site or otherwise cause you to disclose personal information (eg, passphrase, credit card or other account updates). The authors then use these private information to commit identity theft.
When a cyber thief will phishing, uses a variety of bait to hook his prey. Classic examples are the subject lines that are designed to get the recipient to open the message immediately and quickly react to it, like an ad that you owe money, have won a prize or that your medical coverage was canceled .
And to solve these problems, you are prompted to log in to your account. This is where you place your account information in the palm of the thief on the other end of these emails.
Learn to recognize phishing scams
- phishing emails can answer you by name (the attacker already knows about you), but in general, your name is mentioned nowhere .
- emails usually contain at least one link they want you to click. Mouse over to see what the URL is. It may seem legitimate, but note the "http". The sites known for the giant companies such as Microsoft and PayPal, have an "https" in their URL. The URL of the phishing link will not generally the "s".
- A big red flag is if poorly constructed typos or phrases, but a phishing email may also have an impeccable text.
- do not be fooled by company logos, image bank, privacy policies, phone numbers and other formalities in the message field. It's easy for a hacker to put those elements in there.
- Beware warnings or alerts that do not ring true. Gee, why would be your account "in danger of being suspended"?
The links will take you to a fake site that looks like the real thing and ask for your login credentials, credit card information, etc. Another way this scam works is by downloading a virus on your computer after you clicked on the link. Sometimes there is an attachment that you are asked to open. The bait can be that it is a survey of your bank or a report to examine your employer.
An email phishing can still look like the real deal. So how do you protect yourself? Never click on links in emails. Do not open attachments unless they have been sent to someone you know personally. If you think it is your business, plan or bank health, then whip out your phone and call the company to see if they have sent you the email.
If you fell for a scam phishing
for details on what to do if you are victim of a phishing scam, see, I was phished! What should I do?
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