How to Spot Phishing
Phishing is a cybercrime that can steal your sensitive information including account numbers, passwords, Social Security Number and credit card data. These criminals can use this information to loot your bank accounts, run up bills on your credit cards and even steal your identity. It’s a dangerous and lucrative crime that takes many forms. It can occur on a wide variety of internet-connected devices such as computers, smartphones and tablets. Attackers can also phish by phone, through online video chat or even in the workplace.
A common tactic in phishing is to create an unsettling sense of urgency. This is designed to get people to act without thinking. An example of this is an email claiming that your bank or other financial institution has a problem and asking for your username and password. When clicked, this will lead to a website that looks very similar to the real thing. This is called a spoofed website and is one of the most common indicators of phishing.
Another red flag is poor grammar and spelling mistakes. Legitimate organizations would not make these mistakes in emails that they send to their customers or clients.
If you receive an unsolicited email that requests your personal information or a link to login, it’s likely a phishing attempt. Don’t click on any hyperlinks in the email and never provide your personal information to anyone over the internet. You can help prevent phishing by taking precautions such as not posting personal information on social media, reviewing your privacy settings and being very careful with the websites you visit.