How to Identify and Resist Phishing Bait
Legitimate businesses do not ask you for your personal information by email., Fake email messages are often not personalized., A link in the email is masked., The "lock" in the status bar is not engaged.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Legitimate businesses do not ask you for your personal information by email.
Sometimes, it may be necessary to update your information, but most businesses will alert you to this when you sign in to your account through the business's website.
So
- just as you wouldn't provide personal information to telemarketers and people you don't know
- you shouldn't provide it to anyone asking you for that in any email. -
Step 2: Fake email messages are often not personalized.
When your bank, credit card company, loan company, etc. sends you an email it is usually personalized.
It's only common courtesy to use your name.
So this would also be an indication that the email is a scam. , This is the part that confuses most people. "Masking" a link is simply asking you to click on a link that directs you somewhere else than what you thought you were clicking on.
A simple way you can catch this is buy moving your cursor over the link and looking at the bottom of your browser on the status bar.
This will show you the actual website the link is going to take you to. , You need to make sure that the lock in the status bar is locked.
This ensures you that the page you are on is secure.
If it doesn't have the lock, then any personal information that you put on there could be compromised. -
Step 3: A link in the email is masked.
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Step 4: The "lock" in the status bar is not engaged.
Detailed Guide
Sometimes, it may be necessary to update your information, but most businesses will alert you to this when you sign in to your account through the business's website.
So
- just as you wouldn't provide personal information to telemarketers and people you don't know
- you shouldn't provide it to anyone asking you for that in any email.
When your bank, credit card company, loan company, etc. sends you an email it is usually personalized.
It's only common courtesy to use your name.
So this would also be an indication that the email is a scam. , This is the part that confuses most people. "Masking" a link is simply asking you to click on a link that directs you somewhere else than what you thought you were clicking on.
A simple way you can catch this is buy moving your cursor over the link and looking at the bottom of your browser on the status bar.
This will show you the actual website the link is going to take you to. , You need to make sure that the lock in the status bar is locked.
This ensures you that the page you are on is secure.
If it doesn't have the lock, then any personal information that you put on there could be compromised.
About the Author
Nancy Jimenez
Writer and educator with a focus on practical organization knowledge.
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