- PPF Points
- 2,039
Phishing emails are often made to look like they are from a familiar source and are urgent, but there are distinct clues that can expose such e-mails. Carefully observe the sender's email address - phishers make copies but with slight changes. Watch out for the subject lines reflecting urgency such as "your account is locked" or "immediate action needed". This type of mail is often coupled with a general greeting like "Dear user" instead of your actual name. One of the steps is to move your mouse over the links before you click; links that a phishing scam uses might take you out of your comfort zone from a suspicious or unnatural source. Grammatical errors and phrases that don't make sense are just some of the indicators--a reputable company would normally use business jargon. It's a big no deal to open an attachment from an unfamiliar source, most especially in case it has weird file extensions. A genuine company will not ask for any sensitive data like your password or any personal details through the email. If your instincts tell you so, it is better not to respond to the message but instead, go directly to the website or contact the organization using the confirmed information. Next time, if you feel suspicious, do-have in mind non-action with the message, access the website directly, or they contact with the organization via information confirmed. The right sort of outlook is your top defense; phishing tactics are focused on getting access to your untimely and fear-based judgment. Turn off the spam filters, update your software and if you have any doubts regarding certain email, don't hesitate to report it to your mail service provider. We must not forget that the more composed and judiciously we check our mail, the less will such bait of deception work on us.
