{"id":449,"date":"2021-04-26T11:00:24","date_gmt":"2021-04-26T18:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/easeenet.com\/blog\/?p=449"},"modified":"2021-08-04T16:28:06","modified_gmt":"2021-08-04T23:28:06","slug":"techy-tips-7-ways-to-spot-a-phishing-email","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/easeenet.com\/blog\/techy-tips-7-ways-to-spot-a-phishing-email\/","title":{"rendered":"Techy Tips: 7 ways to spot a phishing email"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Rachel Sommer .<\/sup><\/strong> April 26, 2021<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We all know junk emails can be annoying but they can also be dangerous<\/em>, find out the difference between spam and phishing emails and how to prevent falling victim to these scams. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Spam vs Phishing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So what is Phishing? Whereas spam<\/strong> is simply unwanted<\/em> mail, phishing<\/strong> is expressly designed to actually cause harm to a company or individual by obtaining sensitive information. It often takes the form of a seemingly legitimate-looking message from a trusted sender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There tends to be an increase in these types of emails around tax season, so it is in your best interest that you be extra careful about how you access your accounts during this time.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

7 ways to spot a phishing email<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

1. Emails Demanding Urgent Action<\/strong>
Most scam emails are designed to make you panic. This may be the most common tactic used by scammers as it is very effective. The email may claim that your account has been compromised and the only way to verify it is to enter your login details or that your account will be closed if you do not act immediately. It’s easy to worry or stressed when you receive this kind of message. Ensure that you take the time to really think about whether an email is asking something reasonable of you.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep an eye out for emails requesting you to confirm personal information that you would never usually provide, such as banking details or your Social Security number. If you\u2019re unsure, contact the company through their official website or customer service phone number. Do not reply or click any links and if you think there\u2019s a possibility that the email is genuine, you should contact the organization directly \u2013 do not use any communication method provided in the email. Finally, NEVER EVER give out a two-factor authentication code from a website to ANYONE, even if they say they\u2019re with that company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2.<\/strong> Unusual email addresses<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inconsistencies in email addresses, links & domain names are a dead giveaway. Look closely at the sender of emails, and any typos in an email, as they can be indicators of phishing schemes. Legitament companies have their own domain emails. Don\u2019t just check the name of the person sending you the email, make sure to also check their email address by hovering your mouse over (or clicking) the \u2018from\u2019 address. Make sure there are no additional numbers or letters to the address. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an example, Check out the difference between these two email addresses: david@wellsfargo.com<\/strong> and david@w3llsfargo.com<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3.<\/strong> Check the logo<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, be sure to study the logo, almost every email sent out by a legitimate company will have their logo on it somewhere and at a cursory glance the scammers’ version may look the same but there’s usually a way to spot the difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n