Identify phishing attacks and e-mail scams
- Bradley Morton
Phishing attacks use email or malicious websites to infect your machine with malware and viruses in order to collect personal and financial information. Cybercriminals attempt to lure users to click on a link or open an attachment that infects their computers, creating vulnerability to attacks. Phishing emails may appear to come from a real financial institution, e-commerce site, government agency, or any other service, business, or individual. The email may also request personal information such as account numbers, passwords, or Social Security numbers. When users respond with the information or click on a link, attackers use it to access users’ accounts.
How Criminals Lure You In
The following messages are examples of what attackers may email or text when phishing for sensitive information:
“My Uncle Steve just got transferred to the school area and needs a pet sitter for his dogs twice a week (3 hours daily within 9am - 11pm) for $300 weekly. Kindly contact him for more information on: ( showdemcamp77@gmail.com ) or forward to anyone you know might be interested.”
“Hello, sorry to bother you. I need something done urgently and I want you to handle it. I will be going into a meeting soon no calls, so kindly Let me know if you are available on here”
“We suspect an unauthorized transaction on your account. To ensure that your account is not compromised, please click the link below, and confirm your identity.”
“During our regular verification of accounts, we couldn’t verify your information. Please click here to update and verify your information.”
“Our records indicate that your account was overcharged. You must call us within 7 days to receive your refund.”
Simple Tips
Play hard to get with strangers. Links in email and online posts are often the way cybercriminals compromise your computer or email account. If you’re unsure who an email is from—even if the details appear accurate—do not respond, and do not click on any links or attachments found in that email. Be cautious of generic greetings such as “Hello Student,” as these are often signs of phishing attempts. If you are concerned about the legitimacy of an email, call the organization directly.
Check the FROM address. Most email phishing attacks can be quickly identified by examining the FROM address. Ignore the name of the sender and focus on the FROM email address. For example, an email from a faculty member at PCCC would come from the pccc.edu email domain, not from a Gmail account.
From: Dr. Greg Hollaway <officemail118899@gmail.com>
Think before you act. Be wary of communications that implore you to act immediately. Many phishing emails attempt to create a sense of urgency, causing the recipient to fear their account or information is in jeopardy. If you receive a suspicious email that appears to be from someone you know, reach out to that person directly on a separate secure platform. If the email comes from an organization but still looks “phishy,” reach out to them via customer service to verify the communication. Do not use contact information found within the email.
Protect your personal information. If people contacting you have key details from your life—your job title, multiple email addresses, full name, and more that you may have published online somewhere—they can attempt a direct spear-phishing attack on you. Cyber criminals can also use social engineering with these details to try to manipulate you into skipping normal security protocols.
Be wary of hyperlinks. Avoid clicking on hyperlinks in emails and hover over links to verify authenticity. Also ensure that URLs begin with “https.” The “s” indicates encryption is enabled to protect users’ information.
Double your login protection. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) to ensure that the only person who has access to your account is you. Use it for email, banking, social media, and any other service that requires logging in. If MFA is an option, enable it by using a trusted mobile device, such as your smartphone, an authenticator app, or a secure token—a small physical device that can hook onto your key ring.
Shake up your password protocol. You should consider using the longest password or passphrase permissible. Get creative and customize your standard password for different sites, which can prevent cyber criminals from gaining access to these accounts and protect you in the event of a breach. Use password managers to generate and remember different, complex passwords for each of your accounts.
Much of this information was provided by the National CyberSecurity Alliance and the attached PDF.
