As long as technology continues to grow in popularity, online scams such as phishing will continue to threaten you and your personal information. This post will focus on the warning signs of phishing and how to avoid becoming a victim of it.
What is a phishing scam?
Phishing scams are a type of cyberattack used by hackers to try and trick you into revealing your confidential information so that they can use it for fraudulent activities. Often, this is done by sending an email that appears to be from a legitimate organization but contains a link to a fake website that replicates the real one. We’ve seen several instances of phishing scams impersonating authentic Missouri State emails.
Warning signs of a phishing scam:
• Incorrect URL: Cybercriminals will often include a phony hyperlink to a website that mimics a reputable one. These phony websites will include subtle differences like a changed letter/character or a different extension such as .biz instead of .com. If you are unsure about any part of a URL in an email, DO NOT FOLLOW THE LINK.
• Suspicious Text: Messages that include incorrect grammar, unusual urgency, or wording that is uncharacteristic of the sender may be a sign of a phishing scam.
• False Hyperlinks: If there are any links included in the email, be sure to hover over that link before clicking to confirm that the link goes where it is supposed to. Email text with embedded links may appear to be legit, while the hyperlink itself could potentially lead you to a phony website.
Ways to avoid becoming a victim of a phishing scam:
• Never Give Out Personal Information: Be very cautious of any email that asks for any confidential information, especially financial information and your social security number.
• Think Before You Click: Do not click on links that appear in random emails & messages. You should only follow links in emails from sources that you completely trust.
• Make Sure That Your Operating System & Web Browsers Are Up to Date: Security patches for popular web browsers such as Google Chrome and Firefox, and popular operating systems such as Windows and Mac, are released pretty frequently, so we strongly recommend that you keep those systems up to date. These updates are released to patch up any loopholes, backdoors, and other vulnerabilities that hackers may try to take advantage of and exploit.
In our next post, we will focus on mobile security and provide some tips on how to keep your mobile device safe. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at InformationSecurity@Missouristate.edu.