Tips for Avoiding Internet Phishing Schemes

Phishing is a hacking method where the hacker masquerades themselves as a trustworthy entity. They typically send out emails asking for your username and password. This information goes directly to the hacker, making it extremely easy to gain access to sensitive information. Here are a few tips for avoiding these schemes.

Learn to Identify Suspicious Emails

There are a few clues you can look for to see if an email is legitimately from the company. First of all, Google the email address that sent you the email. This will often tell you whether the email is legitimate or malicious. Moreover, don’t let the imagery on the emails fool you. Phishers frequently attempt to copy and paste the emblem of the company to try and further legitimize their email.

Read More: Why Your Fingerprint Login May Not Be Safe

Never send your password over email

Your bank, and most other firms, will NEVER ask for your password via email. This is a common trick that many people fall for, resulting in a forfeiture of their private information. If a firm is asking for sensitive information over email, it is almost guaranteed that you are being phished. Avoid these at all costs.

Never go to websites linked to in emails

A lot of phishers embed faulty links in their emails to websites that masquerade themselves as the real firm. For instance, if you bank with Wells Fargo, a phisher could send you a link to a website that looks like a carbon copy to the Wells Fargo website. Don’t let the similarities fool you. If you wish to login to your bank account, access the website through an app or by typing the URL. These faulty links will oftentimes lead to trouble.

Stay up to date on internet safety

News outlets will often broadcast stories about mass phishing schemes. This usually results in their demise — once the public is aware of the scheme, fewer people fall for it. By staying up to date on internet safety news, you can be cognizant of widespread malicious attempts to phish.

Doubt it? Delete it.

If you have the slightest inkling that an email is malicious, you’re probably right.

Download PSafe Total and PSafe Total Windows so that if a virus does attempt to enter your device through a phishing scam, it will be detected right away.