Phishing Emails - Avoid the Bait!

Phishing  can be emails, texts, or calls you receive that seem to be from a company or people you know.  But they are scammers.  They may send you a link to click on asking for personal information like a password, social security number or date of birth or they may even try to gain access to your computer. 

Here is how phishing works:

You get an email or text 

• They pretend to be someone you know and ask you to click on a link, give you a password, bank account number or other personal information.

You think it is real

• Scammers can spoof logos and use fake email addresses.  They use familiar company names or pretend to be someone you know.

They pressure you

• The messages urge you to act now or something bad will happen.

Clicking on a link from a scammer can allow them to install programs that lock you out of your computer and compromise your personal information.

How to avoid the bait:

Check it out before you click

• Call the company or person directly who you think is contacting you.  If you have a contact at the company, use the number or email you know is correct.
• If you do not know them, look up the website for the company name they gave you and see if the person who contacted you really works there.
• NEVER open an email attachment if you do not know who it came from or why you received it

Scam tip-offs

• You do not do business with the company that contacted you.
• Your name is missing, words are spelled wrong it contains bad grammar.

Be careful- some phishing schemes look very real, check it out and protect yourself.