In our previous article, we talked about tips and tricks for making your digital life more secure. Here are a few examples of phishing attempts that should not be taken lightly. Never forget that to err is human, and that a single click can do a lot of damage.
An e-mail asking you to provide personal information, such as a password, credit card number or banking information.
Tip: legitimate companies never ask for this kind of information by e-mail. Don’t respond, and contact the institution about the phishing e-mail you’ve received.
You receive an e-mail from an unknown source with a link, or an e-mail asking you to click on a link to perform “an urgent action” (e.g. Netflix). The same goes for an attachment; it can do just as much damage as a link.
Tip: especially if the e-mail comes from an unknown source, never click on a link offered to you. Always confirm the source of the e-mail. Psst: pay particular attention to the domain (@10ruptiv.com, @hotmail.com). Attackers may use similar domains to trick you. 🧐
An e-mail containing spelling or grammatical errors. Or even an e-mail that uses an eneral greeting like “Dear Customer”.
Tip: obviously, if an e-mail is poorly written, it’s not legitimate. Professional institutions send well-written communications. Watch out for linguistic errors. Legitimate companies regularly use your name in their communications. A little personalization in a mass e-mail always goes a long way!
A link that takes you to an unsecured website or one with a suspicious-looking URL.
Tip: you can hover over the link and see the actual URL before clicking on it. To do this, put your cursor over the link, and at the bottom left of your screen, you’ll see a gray rectangle with the URL. Make sure it starts with https://: this indicates a secure connection.
Take the time to check everything out if you have any doubts! It may seem redundant, but as the saying goes, prevention is better than cure 😉
