Learning to Identify Phishing

Have you received an email that seems fraudulent? Do you think you're a victim of phishing?

This article provides some tips and ways to recognize and avoid online scams.

• What is phishing?
• How to recognize phishing?

What is phishing?

Phishing, or spoofing, is an online scam attempt that involves impersonating an official organization, often a well-known one (like a bank, a government agency, etc.), to try to gather sensitive personal data.

These attempts usually come in emails with a generally alarming tone.

How to recognize phishing?

To recognize the signs of phishing, here are some tips:

1. Spelling and Grammar Mistakes: Phishing messages may contain grammar and spelling errors. Pay attention to these signs.
2. Suspicious Links: Check the validity of links by hovering over them with the mouse (without clicking). Ensure they lead to legitimate and secure sites.
3. Requests for Sensitive Information: Be skeptical of requests for personal or financial information via email. Legitimate institutions usually do not ask for this information by email – either because they already have it, or they will ask you to go through secure webpages.
4. Threats or Urgency: Phishing messages may create a sense of urgency by claiming that you risk losing access to your account. Be wary of these tactics.
5. Suspicious Email Addresses: Carefully check the email address of the sender. Fraudsters may use addresses similar to those of legitimate institutions but with subtle modifications.
6. Direct Verification: If you receive a suspicious message, do not click on any links it contains. Instead, go to the official website of the institution in question through your browser.
7. Direct Contact: If you are uncertain about the legitimacy of a message, contact the institution directly through official channels rather than responding to the suspicious message.

By following these tips, you can significantly reduce the risk of falling into online phishing traps.