Cyber Security and Phishing Scams
Phishing scams are on the rise and they seem to be getting smarter. Phishing is a type of online scam that targets consumers by sending them an email, text or social media post that appears to be from a well-known source. These types of scammers can be hard to spot. The following tips can help you avoid phishing scams and protect your personal information:
Beware of unsolicited messages: Do not click on links or download attachments you receive from an unknown email address or sender that looks suspicious. These emails may contain malware that can compromise your device.
Verify the sender: Verify the sender's legitimacy before clicking on links or giving out personal information. If in doubt, contact the firm directly using their official website or phone number to confirm the email or message is legitimate.
Look for spelling and grammar errors: Phishing content often contains spelling and/or grammatical errors. Legitimate emails from reputable firms are usually professionally written and grammatically correct.
Avoid clicking suspicious links: Phishing scams contain links that look real but lead to fake websites. These websites are designed to trick you into providing your personal information. Pro Tip: Before clicking on links, hover over them to view the URL. If it does not match the website, you should not click on it.
Use anti-virus software: Anti-phishing software can detect and block suspicious links. This is your first layer of security and can be installed on your device or as a browser extension.
Keep your software up-to-date: Cybercriminals often exploit vulnerabilities in outdated software to steal personal information or infect devices with malware.
Use strong passwords: Use a combination of lower- and upper-case letters, numbers and special characters for a strong password. Avoid using the same password for your different accounts.
Enable two-factor authentication: Two-factor authentication delivers an extra layer of protection to accounts. It requires a second form of authentication before allowing access to any account.