{"id":101226,"date":"2020-05-19T09:00:07","date_gmt":"2020-05-19T16:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"\/blogs\/?p=101226"},"modified":"2024-07-04T04:30:35","modified_gmt":"2024-07-04T11:30:35","slug":"protect-yourself-against-phishing-scams-with-these-security-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/protect-yourself-against-phishing-scams-with-these-security-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Protect Yourself Against Phishing Scams With These Security Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

Phishing is one of the oldest cyberthreats in the book, and yet still one of the most effective.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>As\u00a0<\/span>people<\/span>\u00a0across the globe find themselves taking to the in<\/span>ternet more than ever before, criminals see this as an opportunity to\u00a0<\/span>release phishing attacks on unsuspecting users<\/span>. In fact,\u00a0<\/span>Security Boulevar<\/span>d<\/span>\u00a0found a 600% rise in phishing campaigns in the last month.\u00a0<\/span>So, a<\/span>s users\u00a0<\/span>leverage<\/span>\u00a0the World Wide Web to stay connected with friends and loved ones, it\u2019s imperative that\u00a0<\/span>they remain wary of scammers looking to exploit our need to\u00a0<\/span>virtually communicate.\u00a0<\/span>With that, let\u2019s take a look at\u00a0<\/span>why<\/span><\/i>\u00a0phishing is so effective even in 2020 and explore what actions users can take to stay protected.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Phishing?<\/h2>\n

Phishing<\/span><\/a>\u00a0attacks occur when scammers attempt to trick users out of money or personal information<\/span>, usually by email, phone, or\u00a0<\/span>text.\u00a0<\/span>With so many avenues for criminals to hook victims, phishing is one of the most prevalent threats we see today.\u00a0<\/span>As part of their phishing schemes<\/span>, scammers\u00a0<\/span>often\u00a0<\/span>use something called social engineering<\/span>\u00a0to manipulate users into trusting them for fraudulent purposes, often by pretending to be a legitimate person or business<\/span>. Through these phishing attacks<\/span>, criminals can spread malware and other malicious content.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Evolution of\u00a0Phishing<\/h2>\n

As new technology and circumstances arise, scammers find new ways to evolve the age-old technique of phishing.\u00a0<\/span>What originated as\u00a0<\/span>email and\u00a0<\/span>instant<\/span><\/a>\u00a0messages<\/span>\u00a0attempting to steal users\u2019 credentials has since taken on new forms like\u00a0<\/span>SMiShing<\/span>\u00a0or adapted\u00a0<\/span>its content to hook the victim with a shocking subject line.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why has this technique continued to plague\u00a0<\/span>users since its inception?\u00a0<\/span>Hackernoon<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>argues that it\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0because\u00a0<\/span>phishing<\/span>\u00a0doesn\u2019t require in-depth networking knowledge or even basic programming skills. It<\/span>\u00a0simply<\/span>\u00a0relies on human error and the lack of online security awareness, manipulating human psychology just as much as technological tools.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Phishing Capitalizes on Emotion<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s face it \u2013 we’re all human. Our inherent psychology\u00a0<\/span>makes us quick to act on emotion. However, this is much of the reason why phishing has forged on as a favorite among hackers.\u00a0<\/span>Unfortunately, criminals tend to capitalize on bad or shocking news to grasp the victim\u2019s attention, leading them to click on malicious links or\u00a0<\/span>give up personal data all too eagerly.\u00a0<\/span>Take today\u2019s environment, for example.\u00a0<\/span>As businesses are faced with budget cuts and organizational restructuring, many users\u00a0<\/span>might be uncertain about their job security<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 an opportunity that scammers are eager to exploit.\u00a0<\/span>In fact,\u00a0<\/span>some organizations have<\/span>\u00a0recently observed\u00a0<\/span>phishing emails with subject lines reading \u201cHR Termination List<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d\u00a0<\/span>T<\/span>hrough t<\/span>hese<\/span>\u00a0malicious\u00a0<\/span>attempts, fraudsters use fear tactics\u00a0<\/span>to tempt recipients into clicking on links in emails or downloading dangerous content.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With millions of users suddenly out of work, a lot of people have found themselves\u00a0<\/span>desperately looking for new job opportunities or seeking financial help. However, users should\u00a0<\/span>not let their guard down while job hunting, as this could prevent<\/span>\u00a0them from noticing the tell-tale signs of phishing.\u00a0<\/span>According to\u00a0<\/span>The Motley Fool<\/span><\/a>, some phishing emails<\/span>\u00a0and text messages<\/span>\u00a0claim to offer work-from-home job opportunities, information about health insurance or Medicare, or loans or other forms of financial relief<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>In fact, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reported that\u00a0<\/span>many Americans have received\u00a0<\/span>texts from the “FCC Financial Care Center” offering $30,000 in relief for those who have recently been laid off or furloughed. While this might appe<\/span>ar to be a saving grace<\/span>, it\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>\u00a0stealthy demise to\u00a0<\/span>trick<\/span>\u00a0users\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>giv<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0up their credentials.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Act Now to Stay Protected<\/h2>\n

So,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>w<\/span>hether you\u2019re\u00a0<\/span>working from home<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>participating in\u00a0<\/span>distance learning<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>to complete college courses<\/span>, or\u00a0<\/span>video chatting<\/span><\/a>\u00a0with<\/span>\u00a0loved ones,\u00a0<\/span>there will always be fraudsters looking to exploit your online activity.\u00a0<\/span>However, there are proactive measures you can take to help ensure your security.\u00a0<\/span>First and foremost is using\u00a0<\/span>comprehensive security software<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>If you\u2019ve never been targeted by a phishing scam, it might be difficult to envision the benefit of installing a security solution.\u00a0<\/span>You might even be convinced that if you haven\u2019t\u00a0<\/span>been targeted yet, then you won\u2019t be in the future. However,\u00a0<\/span>there\u2019s no off-season when it comes to security.\u00a0<\/span>A<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0fraudsters continue to evolve their techniques, employ<\/span>ing the help of security software\u00a0<\/span>will act as an added safety net in the event that a phishing email\u00a0<\/span>appears in your inbox.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Aside from using comprehensive security software, here are some other tips to help protect your online security.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Go directly to the source<\/h3>\n

Be skeptical of emails\u00a0<\/span>or text messages\u00a0<\/span>claiming to be from organizations with peculiar asks or<\/span>\u00a0with information that seems too good to be true<\/span>. Instead of clicking on a link within the email<\/span>\u00a0or text<\/span>, it\u2019s best to go straight to the organization\u2019s website or contact customer service.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Be cautious of emails asking you to\u00a0act<\/h3>\n

If you receive an email\u00a0<\/span>or text\u00a0<\/span>asking you to take a certain action or download software, don\u2019t click on anything within the message. Instead, go straight to the organization\u2019s website. This will prevent you from downloading malicious content from phishing links.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hover over links to see and verify the URL<\/h3>\n

If someone sends you a<\/span>\u00a0message\u00a0<\/span>with a link, hover over the link without actually clicking on it. This will allow you to see a link preview. If the URL looks suspicious, don\u2019t interact with it and delete the\u00a0<\/span>message<\/span>\u00a0altogether.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stay Updated<\/h2>\n

To stay updated on all things\u00a0<\/span>McAfee<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and on top of the latest consumer and mobile security threats, follow\u00a0<\/span>@<\/span>McAfee_Home<\/span><\/a>\u00a0on Twitter, listen to our podcast\u00a0<\/span>Hackable?<\/span><\/a>, and \u2018Like\u2019 us on\u00a0<\/span>Facebook<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Phishing is one of the oldest cyberthreats in the book, and yet still one of the most effective.\u00a0As\u00a0people\u00a0across the globe…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":674,"featured_media":101227,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10670,10661],"tags":[3949,4452,3952,214,4185],"coauthors":[3973],"class_list":["post-101226","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips-tricks","category-internet-security","tag-cybersafety","tag-cybersecurity","tag-internet-security","tag-mobile-security1","tag-phishing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat Is Phishing and How to Protect Yourself | McAfee<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Phishing is one of the oldest cyberthreats and yet still one of the most effective. 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