can trick you into opening attachments or giving up personal information. They appear to be emails from organizations or companies you trust, but they’re often the gateway to data breaches or identity theft.
5 Ways to Recognize a Phishing Attempt
- It asks you for your password or directs you to a web form asking for your password
- If the link within the body of the message points to a non-杏吧原创 email address
- The subject line is in all caps
- There is a call for immediate action 鈥� 鈥渄ownload this now鈥� or 鈥渃onfirm you email identity now鈥� or 鈥渃lick on the link below鈥�
- There are spelling or grammatical errors in the email
If you receive an聽email from an address you don鈥檛 recognize, your first thought should be: is this email legitimate? 聽But know that malicious emails can also come from an address that you do recognize 鈥� perhaps their account got hacked and is now being used to spam people.
Successful Phishing Campaigns
If successful, phishing scams can have serious repercussions.
Some successful phishing attempts that made the news include the , Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager, and a for which impacted payroll.
Other Risks to your Email
In addition to phishing, here are a few risks to always be aware of when it comes to your email:
- A weak email account password could leave your personal information vulnerable – .
- may be sent as an attachment in an email and allow criminals access to your information.
- can spread through email to your entire contact list without you knowing it.
- can get through your filter and inundate you with unsolicited email.
Email is one of the easiest ways for cyber criminals to target ordinary citizens. So, as with anything in life, if something seems suspicious, go with your instincts.