BEWARE OF PHISHING SCAMS

Phishing emails are one of the most used types of malicious emails. A phishing fraud happens when the fraudster tries to trick someone to steal sensitive data. This type of cybercrime usually happens by email, and generally has doubtful, dubious, and urgent requests.

According to the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), phishing is the most common cyberattack in the world, with the largest number of victims.

 Following are some of the ways to spot a malicious email:

• Sender’s Address is Wrong or Suspicious
  Verify correctness of sender’s address. Cyber criminals cheat through little things, so you must pay attention to minute details. Most of the times, it is just one letter that makes all the difference. For example, the correct email should be example@microsoft.com but you may get mail from example@microsoift.com (pay attention to extra i).

  This tactic’s name is spoofing. It is widely used in malicious emails. According to the FBI, spoofing frauds caused more than USD 300 million in losses in 2019.

• Dangerous Links and Call-to-Action Buttons
  Fraudsters use malicious links as one of the main ways to commit fraud. So, do not click on a link or call to action button immediately, unless you have verified the genuineness of the link.

  One of the easiest way to check the genuineness of the link is to hover over the link(s) without clicking. Pay attention and examine the address that appears on hovering over the link. Make sure this address is authentic. If something looks suspicious, do not click. Fraudsters impersonate famous brands, like Netflix, Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft, for example.

  The header image of this blog shows a notice from NETFLIX asking to update the payment method. For those who are not aware, it may seem a genuine email from NETFLIX, but hovering on the link Login to Netflix would show this is NOT from NETFLIX and uninformed & innocent people may end up entering their NETFLIX information and bank details thinking they are paying to NETFLIX and may lose all their money in the Bank.

• Stay Away from Attachments from Unknown Sources
  To stay safe, make it a practice to NEVER IMMEDIATELY OPEN an attachment that you were not expecting. If it is from someone unknown to you, you may want to delete the email. Even when the mail appears to be from someone you know, please still check the email before opening the file. If in doubt, it will be wise to contact the sender to confirm that the email is legitimate.

• Look for Spelling and Grammar errors
  Be suspicious of emails that have misspellings or grammar errors. Typing errors are generally an indication of a malicious email.

• If It Sounds Too Good To Be True It Probably Is/Isn’t”
  If you receive an email with promises of big profits and little or no investment, then the law of the average says that it is not true. Cyberspace is full of spam, phishing, and other types of malicious emails that promise inheritance, lottery prizes, and great giveaways. Beware!

• Be Guarded when you see Urgent Emails and Requests for Sensitive Information
  It is common sense that if an issue is very urgent, the person will call or will try to meet in person, if possible.

  Be suspicious of emails you receive from unknown people with the subject As Soon As Possible (ASAP) or URGENT or if that requires you to share sensitive information. Those are a sign of fraud or malicious email.