Posted by EDI Staffing on November 18, 2022
The results from our LinkedIn poll are in! The #1 thing that IT professionals want their non-technical colleagues to know more about for better data protection is phishing scams and fishy links.
Here are a few things you need to know:
According to the Federal Trade Commission, “Phishing is a type of online scam that targets consumers by sending them an e-mail that appears to be from a well-known source – an internet service provider, a bank, or a mortgage company, for example.” These scammers try to be enticing enough to fool individuals into providing personal information and end up wreaking havoc at work or within your personal life.
Here are some scenarios of potential e-mail scams (provided by the FTC):
– If someone says they’ve noticed suspicious activity or log-in attempts on your account
– If someone claims there’s a problem with your account or your payment information
– If someone says you need to confirm personal or financial information
– If someone sends an unrecognizable invoice
– If someone wants you to click on a link to make a payment
– If someone says you’re eligible to register for a government refund
– If someone offers you a coupon for free stuff
– If the e-mail has a generic greeting
– If the e-mail says your account is on hold because of a billing problem
– If the e-mail invites you to click on a link to update your payment details
It’s important to remember that scammers might use familiar names, e-mails, or logos to blend in with your regular business contacts. If anything seems off, it probably is. Go about it cautiously–it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Report any scam messages – If you give in to a scam, contact the proper authorities. If you provided account or credit card information, contact the companies directly and let them know what happened.
Block – After you report them, block and delete the messages to prevent anything from happening again.
Do not click – If you don’t recognize the sender and aren’t expecting a request from anyone, do NOT click any links or provide any information.
Run a scan – If you have protection software on your device, run a scan to check for any unwanted downloads or malware.
Don’t be embarrassed if you fall for a phishing scam. These can be very enticing and often successful. Just more of a reason you should be proactive and stay informed.
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