How to not get Phished?
Ah, the joys of modern technology. The internet has made our lives so much easier, hasn’t it? We can shop, bank, and connect with people from all over the world without ever leaving our couch.
But with great convenience comes great responsibility. Because let’s face it, the internet is also full of scammers, fraudsters, and other unsavory characters who want nothing more than to steal your personal information and ruin your day.
That’s right, we’re talking about phishing attacks. But fear not, dear reader, for in this blog post, I will teach you how to avoid getting hooked by these sneaky cyber-criminals. So sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and let’s dive in!
First things first
What does phishing actually mean?
Phishing is the fraudulent practice of sending emails or other messages purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.
Now, that we know what phishing is. Let us look at some markers which we can use to identify phishing emails.
Who sent it?
In the above image, you can see that the email pretends to be from American express. But upon close inspection, the email address looks suspicious. That is because phishing emails often use fake email addresses that are designed to look like legitimate ones. Before you click on any links or provide any information, check the sender’s email address to make sure it’s legitimate.
You need to click now!
Here is a classic phishing email example. You might find yourself being the recipient of a email like this:
Your amazon account will locked if you don’t recover the account within 3 days ? You click on the link provided and come to a legit looking amazon login page and give your credentials. You are now redirected to a real amazon login screen while your credentials get shipped to a server which can later be used by the hacker.
It need not always be Amazon. The American Express mail which I showed earlier falls under this category as well. They all have this common theme of creating a sense of urgency or use threatening language to try to get you to act quickly without thinking. Like do it now or you can kiss your account good-bye.
Please find attached
Another common type of phishing email is the invoice version like the one below:
Let’s face it, that looks legit except for the over-the-top fake email. You might even be tempted to see what exactly is PayPal talking about. So you click download on that attachment. Congratulations! You have successfully installed malware on your system. In all seriousness, these emails are very common and are even customized for the target individual in some cases. These emails can masquerade as an legitimate attachment sent by a co-worker. Again, the key here is to cross-check the email address.
Okay, now what?
Now that I have given you a rough overview on how phishing works, I would like to emphasize that my intention in not to fearmonger but to educate or create awareness. The more people know about these stuff, the less likely they would fall victim to it.
Here are the things which you can do to protect yourself from phishing attacks:
- Be cautious of suspicious emails : If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
2. Verify the sender: Just a quick check can save you from a lot of trouble.
3. Keep your software up-to-date: Make sure your operating system, web browser, and anti-virus software are all up-to-date with the latest security patches and updates.
4. Use two-factor authentication: This can help prevent unauthorized access to your accounts.
5. Enable spam filters: Most email providers have spam filters that can help block suspicious emails from reaching your inbox.
That concludes my take on “How not to get phished?. With these tips in your pocket, you’ll be able to dodge phishing attempts like Neo dodging bullets in The Matrix. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea. When it comes to emails and messages, it is okay to be a little bit paranoid.
Stay vigilant! Stay informed!
