How to Spot a Phishing (Scam) Email

Post date: Dec 19, 2016 1:49:10 PM

Phishing emails are scam messages sent to people to get them to reveal their username, passwords, or other personal information (such as credit card data). This is also known as social engineering and it has become a widespread problem.

These messages often mimic legitimate email messages from someone you know or work with. They almost always have a file attachment or a link to click on that takes you to a legitimate-looking website. Some messages may appear to come from your bank or credit card company and will ask for various pieces of personal information to assist them in identity theft.

ALWAYS, be suspicious of emails that are sent to you "out of the blue". Pay very close attention to any email with attachments and website links. The people who send phishing emails are sophisticated enough to design messages to trick you into thinking the fake messages are legitimate.

Below is a real life example of a phishing email that was recently sent. The attachment was fake and prompted for email address and password information when opened. There are a number of "red flags" highlighted by red text that should make you suspicious.

[Click on the image to enlarge it.]

When in doubt, always contact the sender (preferably by telephone) to confirm that they actually sent the message. And in reverse, when sending emails to others, please avoid the red flags in the above email to help avoid confusion.

At any time you are unsure about a particular email, please do not hesitate to contact the IT Department for assistance. We will be more than happy to check it out for you.