Archives - Phishing

Beware of smishing attempts

“Smishing” is a portmanteau of “SMS” (short message service) and “phishing,” a cybersecurity threat where malicious actors attempt to fool users into clicking links, downloading malware or handing over personal information, usually by email. Basically, smishing is phishing done via text message. Be skeptical of any unsolicited, automated text messages delivered over shortcodes that contain […]

Watch out for fake Coronavirus scams and charities

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred a surge in charitable giving, with many high-profile events capturing the public’s attention. The iHeart Radio Living Room Concert for America, hosted by Elton John on March 29, 2020, was one such occasion: It brought in $10 million in donations and was watched by nearly 9 million viewers across the […]

Phishing — It only takes one time

Data breaches do not typically happen when a cybercriminal has hacked into an organization’s infrastructure. Many data breaches can be traced back to a single security vulnerability, phishing attempt, or instance of accidental exposure. Be wary of unusual sources, do not click on unknown links, and delete suspicious messages immediately.

Top Internet Scams

The internet is a breeding ground for scammers, fraudsters, and con artists. In 2018 alone, over $1 billion was taken from unsuspecting individuals online and put into the pockets of scammers, according to the Federal Trade Commission. This is a huge industry that continues to grow with newer, more advanced scams each year. As someone […]

Reject unknown friend requests

Cybercriminals will often create fake profiles on social media sites like Facebook and Linkedin, with the objective of gathering sensitive information about you. By looking at your social media page, they can use your personal information to develop a phishing scam. To do this, they might create an alias or impersonate somebody you know before […]

Look out for mismatches between an email sender’s name and address

Phishing emails often purport to be from a familiar institution like your bank or Amazon. The sender’s name might be something meant to indicate this (e.g., “Amazon Orders”), but often it won’t match the actual return address, which might be something very long and garbled. That mismatch is a sign to stay away. Phishing is […]