Phishing is a common form of cyber-crime that uses emails, text messages, and social media to trick people into giving away their personal information. To protect yourself, it's important to know what to look for in a phishing message. Here are some tips on how to spot a phishing email:
1. Urgent call to action - Be wary of emails that demand immediate action, such as clicking on a link or opening an attachment. Scammers often create a false sense of urgency to trick you into responding without thinking.
2. First-time or infrequent senders - If you receive an email from someone you don't recognize, especially if they're outside your organization, be extra cautious.
3. Spelling and bad grammar - Legitimate companies and organizations usually have an editorial staff to ensure high-quality content. If an email has obvious spelling or grammatical errors, it may be a scam.
4. Generic greetings - If an email starts with a generic "Dear sir or madam," it's a warning sign that it may not be from a legitimate source.
5. Mismatched email domains - Be on the lookout for emails that claim to be from a reputable company, but are sent from a different email domain. Also, be aware of subtle misspellings of the legitimate domain name.
6. Suspicious links or unexpected attachments - If you suspect an email is a scam, don't open any links or attachments. Instead, hover your mouse over the link to see if the address matches the link in the message.
By following these tips, you can better protect yourself from phishing attacks and keep your personal information safe. Are you interested in testing your companies email safety? Reach out to us to schedule a phishing simulation.
