Don't Open Email or Text from Senders That You Don't Know

Be careful about what emails and texts you open. Phishing scams and malware attacks are on the rise, and they can cause a lot of damage to your computer and your personal information.

One of the best ways to protect yourself is to simply not open emails or texts from senders that you don’t know. If you’re not sure who the sender is, don’t even open the message. Even if the email or text looks like it’s from someone you know, don’t open it if the subject line or the body of the message doesn’t make sense.

Here are some other things to look out for when you’re trying to determine whether or not an email or text is safe to open:

• The sender’s email address. Is the email address from a legitimate company or organization? If the address looks strange or misspelled, it’s probably a scam.
• The subject line. Does the subject line sound urgent or threatening? If so, it’s probably a phishing scam.
• The body of the message. Does the message ask you to click on a link or open an attachment? If so, don’t do it. These links and attachments could contain malware that could infect your computer.

If you’re not sure whether or not an email or text is safe to open, you can always contact the sender directly to verify their identity.

See Scam and Fraud Protection for 2023 for more information and make sure to Sign Up for our Scam Prevention Newsletter.

Tips for Staying Safe From Phishing Scams

• Be suspicious of emails that ask for personal information. Legitimate companies will never ask for your personal information in an email. If you receive an email that asks for your password, credit card number, or other sensitive information, don’t click on any links in the email and don’t reply to it.
• Look for spelling and grammar errors. Phishing emails are often full of spelling and grammar errors. This is a red flag that the email may not be legitimate.
• Check the sender’s email address. If the sender’s email address looks suspicious, don’t click on any links in the email. You can also try to verify the sender’s email address by looking it up on the company’s website.
• Use a spam filter. A spam filter can help to block phishing emails from reaching your inbox.
• Keep your software up to date. Software updates often include security patches that can help to protect your computer from malware.

By following these tips, you can help protect yourself from phishing scams and keep your online accounts safe.

Also See: Don’t Follow Links in Email or Texts to Help Avoid Phishing Scams

See Scam and Fraud Protection for 2023 for more information and make sure to Sign Up for our Scam Prevention Newsletter.

Don’t Follow Links in Email or Texts to Help Avoid Phishing Scams

Always Go Directly to Sites Using Your Bookmarks to Help Reduce Phishing Scams on Your Accounts

Phishing scams are a major threat to online security. They involve sending emails that appear to be from a legitimate source, such as a bank or credit card company, in order to trick the recipient into clicking on a malicious link. Once the link is clicked, the scammer can steal the recipient’s personal information, such as their login credentials or credit card numbers.

One of the best ways to protect yourself from phishing scams is to never follow links in email. Instead, always go directly to the website you want to visit by typing the URL into your browser or by using your bookmarks.

Here are some reasons why you should never follow links in email:

• The link may be malicious. Phishing emails often contain links that lead to fake websites that look like the real thing. Once you click on the link, you’ll be asked to enter your personal information, which the scammer can then steal.
• The link may not go where you think it goes. Even if the link appears to go to a legitimate website, it’s possible that it’s been hijacked by a scammer. This means that when you click on the link, you’ll be taken to a fake website that looks like the real thing.
• You can’t be sure who sent the email. Phishing emails are often sent from spoofed email addresses, which means that the sender’s email address doesn’t actually belong to the company or organization they’re claiming to be from. This makes it impossible to know for sure who sent the email, and whether or not it’s legitimate.

By following these simple tips, you can help protect yourself from phishing scams and keep your online accounts safe.

Next: Tips for staying safe from phishing scams

See Scam and Fraud Protection for 2023 for more information and make sure to Sign Up for our Scam Prevention Newsletter.