How Can You Avoid the Most Common Phishing Scams?
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Phishing scams are all too common on the internet these days. No matter where you go on the web, it seems like someone is always trying to steal your password and login information. If you’re sick of the constant scam attempts and ready to be rid of cyber-criminals, you’re not alone.
Today, we’re going over some tips that will help you avoid the most common types of phishing attempts. Remember, your best bet is to always ignore any messages from unknown senders and keep your private information to yourself, no matter which site you’re browsing. Let’s dive into these tips!
The first thing you should know about phishing is that it’s important to refrain from ever opening links that people email to you. Unless you’re certain that the sender is a trusted source, like a friend or coworker, just avoid clicking any hyperlinks you see in emails. Phishing scammers are really good at disguising their email addresses to look like businesses or trusted friends.
When you follow a link through a scammer’s email, you could land on a fake version of a web page that exists to scrape your login information and pass it to a criminal. These web pages look convincing, so be vigilant when you’re browsing your email inbox.
If you’re browsing a social media account and get a random message from an attractive stranger, take any interaction with a grain of salt. Scammers love to use “catfish” accounts to lure victims into a false sense of security. That pretty stranger who wants your login information probably isn’t trying to go out on a date with you.
Romance scams are hard to spot sometimes because adept con artists are great at winning you over before ripping you off. If you’re worried that you might be talking to a scammer online, ask them to video chat with you. Any stranger who avoids meeting in person or video chatting is probably catfishing you.
These days, scammers have gone beyond just robocalls and have moved to also sending spam text messages. If you get a message purporting that your USPS package has been held up, just ignore it and block the number. This is the telltale sign of an insidious package scam that will try to swindle you. If the USPS has a problem with your package, they won’t send you a fishy-looking text message with a long link enclosed.
