Phishing
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Phishing is when cybercriminals use fake emails, social media posts or direct messages with the goal of luring you to click on a bad link or download a malicious attachment.
If you click on a phishing link or file, you can hand over your personal information to the cybercriminals. A phishing scam can also install malware onto your device. However, it’s easy to avoid a scam email once you know what to look for. With the right knowledge, you can outsmart the hackers!
Before clicking any links or downloading attachments, take a few seconds and ensure the email looks legit.
Here are a few quick tips on how to clearly spot a phishing email:
Recognize – Look for these common signs: Requests for personal, financial or organizational information (usernames and passwords), Incorrect domain names, email addresses or web links.
Report – If you suspect phishing, it is best to report or delete the message. Many email providers have easy ways to report messages you suspect of phishing.
- Gmail lets you report these messages under the More - then - Report Phishing.
- In Yahoo - click Spam on the tool bar then - Report a Phishing Scam on the menu that pops up
- In Hotmail or Microsoft email - click Mark as - then Phishing scam
