Foil the Phishers

Have you ever received an email that just doesn’t quite seem right?… Well you’re probably not wrong, it’s most likely someone trying to steal information.

Phishing attacks are dramatically on the rise and will only continue to be more prevalent as time goes on.

Here are some of the top tips to avoid getting phished:

• Attachments – BE WEARY OF ALL ATTACHMENTS. If you weren’t expecting something from a particular person or organization, pick up the phone and confirm it was them who sent the message… better to be safe than sorry and never open attachments unless you’re certain it’s safe.
• Links – Don’t click any links in emails if the email appears in any way suspicious, even if you’re 0.00001% unsure.
• Spelling and grammar – Read emails carefully; phishers usually reside in countries where English is not the primary language. Their emails generally have poor grammar, spelling mistakes, etc.
• Links again – Emails asking you to follow links, enter passwords or otherwise turn over any information no matter how small it may seem should be avoided unless you were expecting the request from a trusted party.
• Generic wording – Look for generic wording. Phishers already have some information about you, which is how they got in your inbox. Emails with generic greetings such as “dear user/customer/client/valued member etc.” are a red flag. Even if the email does contain your name or other personal information be cautious if the email wasn’t expected.
• No shame – Don’t feel guilty asking for a second opinion. Even the experts get phished… Yours truly included.

Moral of the phishing story is when in doubt, no matter how insignificant it may seem, contact the sender of the email by phone or the experts. If you’re a Nucleus client give us a call and we’ll be glad to confirm the security of the email. Trust me, the phone call is worth it. The cleanup after falling victim to a phishing scheme is unpleasant in the best of situations.

Better to be safe than phished…