2014-05-28
Tips for Identifying Email Phishing Scams
What are you being asked to do? If it is anything along the lines of downloading a software you don’t need but they tell you that you “need” it, be cautious. If you did not have a previous conversation with the person who is suddenly sending you this email, it would be best to not do anything it says.
Pulling on your heart strings. Some scam emails pull on your heartstrings by saying some personal things—disguising as a friend in need, or perhaps saying they are from an organization that needs help. Countercheck with the person they are pretending to be and check for more information about what organization they’re saying they are before doing anything.
Bad grammar and spelling mistakes. Cybercriminals don’t pay much attention when it comes to their grammar and more often than not, bad spelling can be the top indicator of a phishing email.
A threatening email. If you ever receive a threatening email saying your system’s security has been breached and that you need this and that software to get it cleaned up, do not follow the instructions especially if the email is from someone you do not know or not from the antivirus provider you have.
From “legit” websites. There are those which use names that can trick you by sounding very much like famous websites. Make sure you read links thoroughly and see if there are no unnecessary characters that would lead you to malicious pages.
By following these tips against email phishing scams, you can avoid the trouble of dealing with these people and you can keep your accounts safe, too.
Pulling on your heart strings. Some scam emails pull on your heartstrings by saying some personal things—disguising as a friend in need, or perhaps saying they are from an organization that needs help. Countercheck with the person they are pretending to be and check for more information about what organization they’re saying they are before doing anything.
Bad grammar and spelling mistakes. Cybercriminals don’t pay much attention when it comes to their grammar and more often than not, bad spelling can be the top indicator of a phishing email.
A threatening email. If you ever receive a threatening email saying your system’s security has been breached and that you need this and that software to get it cleaned up, do not follow the instructions especially if the email is from someone you do not know or not from the antivirus provider you have.
From “legit” websites. There are those which use names that can trick you by sounding very much like famous websites. Make sure you read links thoroughly and see if there are no unnecessary characters that would lead you to malicious pages.
By following these tips against email phishing scams, you can avoid the trouble of dealing with these people and you can keep your accounts safe, too.
