In the face of an increase in phishing scams, it's necessary to learn how to avoid them, if you can. But there is good news. You can keep from being a phishing victim, just by following a few simple measures:
Being informed about spam e-mails and spoofed websites is one of the best ways to guard against falling victim to a phishing attempt. If you know what to look out for and can recognize key factors in fraudulent e-mails, you’ll be able to keep your identity as safe as possible. For instance, spam e-mails may contain the company's logo and appear official , but when you look closely, there are several warning signs that can give scammers away. Sometimes the e-mails have spelling mistakes or the language doesn’t sound quite right. But the best indicator is the request itself ?legitimate companies never ask for you to verify your account, or to send your account information via e-mail.
Secondly, don't become frightened by the urgency of an e-mail or feel under pressure to answer immediately, without a second thought. Scare tactics are common when it comes to phishing, as a means to extract private information from unsuspecting people. Often the e-mail will declare that your account will be shut down until you provide the necessary data, but in reality, organizations don’t conduct business in such a manner. Again, if you're concerned about your account, call the institution directly to verify the matter.
Always visit the site on your own by typing it into your web browser and visiting it directly. That will ensure that you arrive at a legitimate site, at which point you can log in and check on the status of your account. And never send confidential information to the sender by filling out a form present in the e-mail. Again, use your common sense and send the information over the phone or by visiting the website directly.
Another way to evade scam artists is by keeping your browser and operating system updated. Download and install all patches and upgrades so that you are caught up with all the latest security updates.
Install an excellent personal firewall, antivirus software, antispyware software and antispam protection. Because these programs reduce the amount of e-mail phishing scams that come your way, and keep malicious viruses at a distance, you won’t have as many chances to fall prey to a phishing attack.
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