Phishing scams are emails or text messages that appear to be from a legitimate source, such as your bank, credit card company, or social media platform. The emails or text messages often contain a link that, when clicked, takes the victim to a fake website that looks like the real website. Once the victim enters their personal information on the fake website, the hacker can steal it.
Here are some tips on how to spot phishing scams:
- Be wary of emails or text messages that ask for personal information.?Legitimate companies will never ask for your personal information in an unsolicited email or text message.
- Check the sender's email address.?Phishing emails often come from addresses that look similar to the real company's address, but with a few letters or numbers changed.
- Be suspicious of emails or text messages with urgent requests.?Phishing emails often contain urgent requests, such as "Your account has been suspended" or "Your credit card has been compromised." These requests are designed to scare you into taking action without thinking.
- Don't click on links in emails or text messages from unknown senders.?If you're not sure if an email or text message is legitimate, don't click on any links. Instead, go directly to the company's website by typing the URL into your browser.
- Look for grammatical errors or typos.?Phishing emails are often poorly written and may contain grammatical errors or typos.
- Use a spam filter.?A spam filter can help you identify and block phishing emails.
By following these tips, you can help protect yourself from phishing scams.
Here are some additional tips for spotting phishing scams:
- Pay attention to the tone of the email or text message.?Phishing emails often use a sense of urgency or fear to try to get you to act quickly.
- Check the company's website.?If you're not sure if an email or text message is legitimate, go to the company's website and look for a security statement. This statement should explain how the company protects your personal information.
- Be aware of the latest phishing scams.?There are many websites that track phishing scams. You can check these websites to see if an email or text message you received is a phishing scam.
By following these tips, you can help protect yourself from phishing scams.
