Online Threat Alerts (OTA) - Alerting you to scams and frauds.

What is a Phishing Scam and How to Protect Yourself
What is a Phishing Scam and How to Protect Yourself

A phishing scam is a form of cybercrime where attackers impersonate legitimate organizations or trusted individuals to trick you into revealing sensitive information, clicking malicious links, or downloading harmful software.

Common Phishing Channels

  • Email Phishing: Mass emails sent to thousands of people containing fake links or urgent account security alerts.
  • Smishing (SMS): Fraudulent text messages claiming a package is delayed or a bank account is locked.
  • Vishing (Voice): Phone calls where scammers pretend to be government agents, tech support, or bank staff.
  • Quishing: Malicious QR codes embedded in emails or physical flyers that redirect to fake websites.

Major Red Flags

  • Urgency: Demands immediate action to avoid account suspension or legal penalties.
  • Generic Greetings: Generic salutations like "Dear customer" rather than your actual name.
  • Mismatched URLs: Links that look slightly off, such as amazan.com or paypa1.com.
  • Suspicious Requests: Asking for passwords, PINs, or full Social Security numbers, which official entities will not request via message.

How to Protect Yourself

  1. Never Click Links: Open the official website or app directly to check alerts.
  2. Verify the Sender: Check the actual email address, not just the displayed sender name.
  3. Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Adds an extra layer of protection to secure accounts.
  4. Report and Delete: Report the message using your email platform's spam filters and permanently delete it.
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