Phishing scams are becoming more and more common, so it is essential to know how to protect yourself from them. These scams often involve emails that appear to be from a legitimate source (like your bank) but are actually sent by scammers to steal your personal information.
This blog post will discuss some of the best ways to protect yourself from these scams.
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NEVER FOLLOW A LINK FROM AN EMAIL
Don’t follow links or attachments in an email unless you are absolutely sure they are safe. If you aren’t sure, you can hover over the link to see where it will take you before clicking on it. If the link looks suspicious, don’t click on it! Or, you can do a Google search for the company name + phishing to see if there have been any reports of phishing scams.
DON’T CALL A NUMBER GIVEN IN AN EMAIL
For example, you may receive an email that looks like it is from your bank, but the email address is not actually from the bank. The email may ask you to click on a link or call a phone number to “verify” your account information. If you follow the instructions, you will likely give away your personal information to scammers or download a virus.
Instead, you should call your bank from a number provided on their website or log in to your account from a new web page. Once you are logged in, you can check to see if there are any messages from your bank.
CHECK WHO SENT THE EMAIL
If you think you may have received a phishing email, you can do a few things to check. First, look at the sender’s email address. If it’s not from the company it claims to be from, it’s likely a phishing email. Google the company name and look up what email addresses they use for communication or call to ask.
CHECK FOR TYPOS
Scammers don’t always speak the same language. If you read their emails carefully, you may notice that it doesn’t sound like a professional company. There may also be typos or grammatical errors. If you are unsure about an email, you can always research the company or call directly to ask about the email.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU THINK YOU DOWNLOADED A VIRUS
If you think you may have clicked on a phishing link or attachment, run a virus scan as soon as possible or take it to a professional. You can also change your passwords for all of your accounts just to be safe.
By following these tips, you can protect yourself from phishing scams. Remember, if something looks too good to be true, it probably is. Do not give away your personal information unless you are absolutely sure that you are dealing with a legitimate company. And always do your research to ensure you don’t fall victim to a phishing scam.
