phish·ing

Noun

The fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.

1. Stay informed

The techniques and approaches that cybercriminals use are constantly changing. Stay up to date, informed, and well-versed in news surrounding phishing scams. 

2. Before you click, think!

Of course, there will be links and buttons that you instinctively click because it comes from a trusted friend or source, but be careful! Phishing scams are commonly made to imitate events that you trust and don’t think twice about. If you hover over the link does the path lead you to where you want to go or is it trickery? 

3. Pay attention to that pop-up

Similar to links and buttons, pop-ups are frequently disguised to appear as they are a part of the native site you are on. We all make mistakes, though. If you click on one, DO NOT click the cancel button. Instead, click the small “X” in one of the top corners. 

4. Check all of your accounts

It seems like we need a new account, new username, and new password every day for some sites. It is essential to keep track of all these accounts, especially if they contain private information. Get in the habit of regularly checking the accounts for suspicious activities and changing the password associated with each one.

5. Never give out private information

If you have clicked a link and are unsure if the page it has brought you to is legitimate, call the company in question to verify it is a part of a TRUSTED company’s site. One tell-tale sign that you are not on a legitimate page is immediate requests of financial information.