Despite decades of phishing attacks stealing information and bringing financial devastation to countless people and organizations, these online attacks continue to grow in number and sophistication. As people become more dependent on the internet, they trust it and the information they get from it far more than they should.
Technology can only protect you from yourself so much, so if you want to avoid becoming another statistic, you must learn to identify phishing attacks and actively avoid them. Here are some tips you can put into practice right now to improve your defense against various phishing scams.
What are telltale signs of phishing attacks?
Phishing attacks come in all forms and flavors now, from classic emails to SMS chats and even AI-powered scams. However, most phishing attempts share common elements that are clear red flags.
Unrecognized or strange sender
If you get an email or SMS message from a sender you don't recognize, that's red flag one, but not a definite scam. However, if you notice other odd elements on top of that, chances are it's a scam. Look for:
- Email domains that seem to come from trusted websites with odd features (e.g., a sender with the email address"[email protected]")
- Area codes or country codes you do not recognize
- Emails from friends, family, or coworkers that use different email addresses than they normally do, or use strange language or full names
Spelling and grammar errors
A few mistakes in an email from your coworker is nothing to worry about, but if you get a message from a bank or company with poor English and grammar/spelling mistakes, that's a huge red flag.
Even small businesses have high standards and sophisticated tools to ensure their customer communications are professional and neat, so these mistakes could indicate a scammer wrote the message.
Excess sense of urgency
Many marketing communications use a sense of urgency to get you to act, such as "buy now" or "limited time offer." But if they go over the top with promos, it could be a phishing scam. Cybercriminals will claim in their phishing messages that you must provide them with your private data immediately or risk severe consequences. Don't let their language scare you, and always verify the sender and their message before acting.
Requests for login credentials and private data
Most customer service representatives, IT support technicians, and even coworkers will not ask you for your passwords and other private information over email or other unsecure channels. Anyone badgering you for this sensitive data should not be trusted.
What can you do to avoid phishing attacks?
Keep these best practices in mind to avoid falling prey to phishing scams at work or at home.
- Never provide personal information via an unsolicited request.
- If you are unsure of the sender of an email or SMS, research the organization and contact them yourself via their official website or phone number to verify the sender.
- Do not click links in emails or text messages, even if they are sent from a supposedly trusted source.
- Implement browser extensions or email filtering tools to cut phishing attacks off at the source. They aren't 100% effective, and you may need help to fully optimize them, but they are a handy tool for keeping yourself safe.
- Keep all software, especially your web browser up to date so they have the latest security protections.
- Stay informed of the latest phishing attacks and trends. You don't have to be an expert, but you should speak to one or read their work regularly to stay up to date.
Contact USWired if you're worried about phishing attacks harming your organization and want peace of mind. As a cybersecurity-first IT services provider, we have the experience and expertise to create and implement a personalized cybersecurity posture that keeps your people and assets safe from the latest phishing scams and attacks.
