Day 11 of Holiday Privacy: Beware Phishing Scams

Day 11 of Holiday Privacy: Beware Phishing Scams

Phishing is a type of scam where a hacker sends you an email that looks as though it’s from a legitimate business (for example: your bank, Amazon, etc). Their purpose is to trick you into using a link within the email to “sign in” to an account or “buy” a product, only to have your information stolen. Phishing scams are even more likely around the holidays, when hackers send you emails that claim to be offering you an amazing deal from a legitimate company. But, if these messages look legit, how do you know what’s an attempt at phishing and what isn’t? There are a few signs. First, read the email carefully. If it’s full of spelling and grammar mistakes, it’s more likely to be from an untrustworthy source. Second, look at the originating email address. Although the contents of the email look real, a funny-looking email address may prove phishing. Finally, even if you trust an email, it’s always best to simply not take any action in the email itself. Instead, manually navigate to the associated website in your browser and follow any instructions or find any deals there.

Come back tomorrow for another holiday privacy tip and check out the one from yesterday here!