In today’s digital world, an internet connection on your computer or mobile phone makes your life easy and efficient. The internet is a necessity for things like online shopping, managing your bank accounts and social media. But there are risks, especially in the form of spoofing and phishing via the web—you can find some of them in the Articles section of Uptodown.
Imagine you’re working on your computer one day and suddenly a message pops up: If your ATM card password is being changed and you know that someone is trying with a fake account log in, it is most likely happening to your Facebook account. It approaches you with the message asking you to click a link to verify your account. You click the link, thinking it’s from a top dog resource. Sadly, this is the start of a security break over spoofing or phishing.
In this article we will look at what spoofing and phishing are, how to spot them and several actions you can take to protect yourself.
What is Spoofing and Phishing ?
One type of hacking is spoofing (getting someone to give up sensitive info by impersonating a real person or entity). This could come in various ways, false phone calls and emails can occur or even fake websites with URLs that seem to be from trusted sources.
However, there is a special form of spoofing called phishing where the hackers deceive you with using deceptive emails or messages to steal your personal information. In most cases, the hacker will send an email that seems to come from a reputable company such as a bank or an online service telling the victim to take a look at some link or attachment. Once clicked, the victim unknowingly provides private data such as a login credentials, a credit card number or even another types of sensitive information.
What are Spoofing and Phishing Scams?
The issue is getting more people aware of how spoofing and phishing scams work as online threats appear more and more. Read on for some simple signs to look out for and steps to take to avoid being the victim.
1. Detect if the Sender’s Name and Email Address is correct.
The simplest way to determine if a phishing or spoofing attempt, is to review the sender of the email and email address. Scammers often use email addresses, but they are similar to those of a legitimate organization, but sometimes these two addresses are different. For example, a fake email address may look like it’s from Facebook, but on closer inspection, you might notice that the domain is incorrect or misspelled, such as facebok.com instead of facebook.com.
To check the sender's information:
Without clicking on the sender’s name, hover your mouse over it.
The full email address will be presented in a pop up and you can check if it matches the company official email address.
Immediately delete the email if the sender’s email happens not to match the company’s official domain, or otherwise seems suspicious.
2. Take a look at the language and grammar
Usually a high standard of communication is maintained by companies. And if you get some email from someone that has horrible grammar or spellings or weird language, it’s probably a scam. When there’s no time to care about detail, hackers tend to get sloppy and their messages often read strange or wrong.
For example, a legitimate email from a bank will be professionally written, while a phishing email might have errors like "Your account has been restrictd," or “Kindly check your last statement below urgently.” If the message is unprofessional, always be cautious.
3. Don’t Click Links in Emails Directly
One of the most common tactics in phishing is a link to a fake website that steals your info. However, a link may look as if it’s from a trusted source, but will lead you to a malicious site that looks just the same as the real one.
If you receive an email asking you to click a link:
In other words, don’t click the link directly.
You can also instead open your browser and type the site’s website address manually to confirm the site is working.
If you receive an email that contains a link, never open it unless you do so by typing the URL directly into your browser instead of clicking the URL in the email.
4. Don’t Feel Threatened or Urged to panic
But most of the time phishing emails include a fear tactic, like one saying your account has been hacked or you have to act quickly to protect your data. They may use phrases like "Your account has been hacked" or "Immediate action required to avoid suspension."
There is nothing bad in calling your guarantor or confirmation of a package from a decent company, it is only wrong if you are being blackmailed, pressured to act urgently, or are using intimidating language. But if you get that bunch of scary warnings, don’t panic. Contact the company directly using a trusted phone number or official website in order to confirm that the message wasn’t legitimate.
5. Check directly with the Company
If you ever get one suspicious email pretending to be your bank, your email provider or your social media site, make sure to go in and verify it directly with the company. They have their official customer service number or official website they can call. Never use the contact information in the suspicious message because they could be part of the scam.
6. Strong Internet Security Software is used
Install reputed antivirus and anti-malware software to further protect yourself from spoofing and phishing attacks. Free antivirus tools may cleverly sound tempting, but they rarely come with the features and protection you actually need against the latest threats. Instead buy a premium version of a licensed antivirus program that comes with real time protection, email scanning and web filtering.
Security suites will reliably alert you that you’re about to visit a shady site or open a dangerous attachment to add an extra bit of protection.
Why are we discussing how to prevent future spoofing and phishing attacks?
Here are some essential steps to prevent spoofing and phishing attacks from affecting you in the future:
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): 2FA is available on lots of services, including email providers and banks. It further secures your account by making you log in with a second method of identification (something you have) like a code that is sent to your phone.
Regularly Update Your Passwords: Strong and unique passwords are a must for you. Don’t use simple or repeated passwords on each site. If you are also using a password manager to generate and save complex passwords, then why not consider it?
Educate Yourself and Others: Get constantly updated with phishing and spoofing tactics. Regularly refresh your knowledge of Internet security and share that knowledge with friends and family.
Be Cautious on Social Media: Do not share things such as your full birth date, phone number, or address on the social media. This data can be used by hackers in a phishing attack impersonating you.
Conclusion: Stay Safe Online!
But with spoofing and phishing attacks getting more sophisticated, you can greatly reduce your risk of being duped if you just keep your wits about you and practice the right degree of protection. Never rely on emails, links or messages you received; make sure to double check them before taking action. And remember, legitimate companies never pressure you into making quick decisions and always verify suspicious communication with the company!
Being cautious and aware will protect you from spoofing and phishing and continue to let you experience the convenience of the internet.
Key Takeaways:
No matter who it’s from, always verify the sender’s email address.
You need to be careful with language and grammar.
Never click on an unknown links in emails.
Enable Two Factor Authentication and use strong internet security software.
Continue keeping your passwords fresh and up to date as well as knowing your online security threats.
Enjoy your time spending, stay safe, and stay smart and protect your online presence from the fraudsters!
