Phishing Scams: How to Recognize and Avoid Them

What is Phishing?

Phishing is a type of cyberattack that involves using fraudulent emails or text messages to trick people into revealing sensitive information. Scammers design these communications to impersonate reputable organizations, such as banks or government agencies. They attempt to trick victims into providing sensitive information like passwords, credit card numbers, or personal identification numbers (PINs).

How to Recognize Phishing Scams

Here are some telltale signs of phishing scams:

• Urgent or threatening language: Phishing emails or text messages often create a sense of urgency or threaten consequences if the victim doesn't respond immediately.
• Generic greetings: Phishing messages may address the recipient by generic terms like "Dear customer" instead of their actual name.
• Suspicious links or attachments: Phishing messages often include suspicious links that, when clicked, can redirect victims to fraudulent websites or download malware onto their devices.
• Requests for sensitive information: Phishing scams often ask for personal or financial information, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or Social Security numbers.

How to Avoid Phishing Scams

To protect yourself from phishing scams, follow these tips:

• Be cautious of emails or text messages you receive: If you receive a message from an unknown sender or an organization you don't have an account with, be cautious of providing any personal information.
• Don't click on suspicious links: If you receive a message with a link, hover over the link to see where it leads before clicking on it. If the link looks suspicious or doesn't match the sender's domain, don't click on it.
• Don't open suspicious attachments: Never open attachments from unknown senders. If you receive an attachment that you weren't expecting, delete it without opening it.
• Use strong passwords: Use strong passwords for all of your online accounts. Avoid using the same password for multiple accounts.
• Keep your software up to date: Make sure your operating system and software are up to date. Software updates often include security patches that can help protect you from phishing attacks.

What to Do if You've Been Phished

If you believe you have been phished, take the following steps:

• Change your passwords: Immediately change the passwords for all of your online accounts.
• Contact your bank or credit card company: Inform your financial institutions of the phishing attack and ask them to freeze your accounts.
• Report the phishing scam: Report the phishing scam to the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) at https://apwg.org/report-phishing.