Protect Yourself from Phishing Attacks
Cybercriminals are getting smarter by the minute, and they are looking to access your critical information such as credit card information, and passwords. Phishing attacks are the most prevalent and you ought to be wary and identify them before hackers get hold of your information. By the third quarter of 2017, there were over 1.5 million online phishing attacks, and millions of people and businesses lost billions of dollars combined.
Scammers manipulate users into trusting them by masquerading as legitimate businesses or people. This is the basis of a phishing attack. To protect yourself, you need to learn how to identify these attacks. Here are most common phishing attacks used by cybercriminals.
Urgent Email Attachment
Phishing attacks via emails are popular, and they have been around for a long time because they are effective. You will receive an email urging you to download an attachment to confirm a prize, trip itinerary, or confirm the delivery of a package. They invoke a sense of urgency by urging you to respond immediately, and the attachment that contains malware will run in your computer without you knowing. However, always use a comprehensive anti-malware software to detect and stop the malware from infecting your computer.
Romance Scam
This form of fraud can happen via the phone, in person or online. Cybercriminals place a phony ad for someone looking for love and contact you via email, or on social media. They weave a web of lies to get you to trust them. The scammer will then ask to borrow money, trick you into paying their phone bill just to stay in touch with you or ask for pricey gifts. With the promise of easy dating using online dating sites and apps, most lonely people fall victim to the fraud and they only realize the attack long after the scammer cuts contact.
CEO Scam
For this attack, the cybercriminal spoofs their email address to look like a legit company email. They will ask for sensitive information such as social security numbers, company accounts, employee salaries, and much more. To avert this kind of swindle, contact the apparent sender via phone to ensure that they are in need of the information.
Conclusion
Phishing attacks can happen via phone, online, and in person, so be sure that you read on how to protect yourself from phishing attacks. The best way to be safe from these and other phishing attacks is to be wary of people asking for sensitive information and invest in a security software that will scan the attachments before you download them for malware.
