WHAT IS PHISHING SCAM ?
According to the Social-Engineer.org, phishing is a “practice of sending emails that appear to be from a reputable source but with the goal of gaining your personal information,banking information, credit card details, and passwords.”
The most common examples of phishing mails are “You won iPhones, register now to select what color iPhone you want” or “Urgent: You are entitled to a Tax Refund”.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF ?
- Check the URL before clicking on a link:- If you have even a little doubt about the safety of the email then don’t click on any of those links — even if they look like legitimate stuff. It is very easy to hover over the link and see where it is directed . The better method is to manually navigate to the website itself and log in there than using the URL you received.
- Don’t download attachments. The most used method to infect your device with malware is by making you download the attachments. Most of the web based mail clients scan attachments to protect you, but this isn’t foolproof. If you have to download an attachment, scan it with an antivirus software before you open it. If you find the document has a weird file extension then do not open as it may contain some malware in disguise as “Document.pdf.exe”. Just to be safe, never open or even download) files with “.exe” attachments.
- Check the Sender’s address. This can be tricky to do on mobile, and since attackers know this they are increasingly building this into their attacks.
- Take an Active Role.Internet links, phone calls and emails sometimes harbour ill intent. Many phishing schemers attempt to trick you in to giving up personal information like bank account and Social Security numbers. It is important to be extra cautious when information is requested through one of these avenues. For example, if you receive a phone call from someone claiming to work for your bank hangs up the phone and calls the number on the back of your debit card.
- Avoid Popups.Many phishing scams involve pop-up screens that ask for information like passwords and zip codes. To prevent identity theft, avoid entering personal data in those popups.
- Update Your Browser.Internet browsers depend on regular updates to guard against the latest known threats. When your browser prompts you to update, don’t put it off, as this reduces internet surfing security.Hopes this article help you to know about Phishing scams, mode of attack And tips to avoid them. Share it and help others to protect their personal data.
- Source:-thenexthack