How to Avoid Phishing Scams
In today’s modern world of technology, data breaches and criminal cyber activity is at an all-time high. Cyber hackers consistently rely on emerging trends to push the envelope and remain undetectable to the average consumer.
What is Phishing?
One of these latest trends is phishing. Phishing is a fraudulent attempt made by a cybercriminal to obtain user information while posing as a trusted source. Typically, these attempts are designed to result in financial exploitation or espionage. While phishing can take form in a variety of mediums, it most commonly occurs through email. Any time you’ve received an email boasting that you can win prize money by clicking on a link, you’ve likely been witnessing a phishing attempt.
Today’s phishing scams have grown in sophistication, with cyber hackers even posing as financial institutions. Once users click the email link that they believe leads to a legitimate account login page, they arrive at a fraudulent site where their imputed information is stolen.
How to Avoid These Scams
Following a few easy tips can make it easier to avoid phishing scams and protect your online security.
Educate Yourself and Those Around You
Reading up on the latest phishing methods and staying abreast of cyber security industry trends helps avoid phishing scams. Business owners should consider internal training for employees to help protect your organization.
Carefully Investigate the Source and Language of Emails
Make sure you recognize the sender of the email in question and look at the sender’s email address to make sure the domain is correct and correctly spelled. Also, pay close attention to grammar and spelling through the body of an email, as an email from a legitimate institution will be grammatically correct.
Be Wary of Downloads and Never Provide Personal Information
It’s wise to avoid providing personal information, including credit card numbers, to any source you don’t trust. Also avoid downloading any files, as they are likely malware.
Qkey Can Help!
Another great way to avoid phishing scams is to use a good password manager. Our password manager not only eliminates the need to create and remember complex passwords, but we navigate you to saved, trusted URL’s- helping you to avoid phishing scams.
If you do click onto a phishing link, our “SMART Login” won’t recognize the page and will provide protection. We give you peace of mind, allowing you to experience total security every time you access your online accounts or complete an online transaction. Contact us to learn more about how Qkey can help you regain control over your privacy and avoid being phished!