8 The Oregon Surveyor | Vol. 47, No. 6 Featured Article miraculously resolve all your financial challenges. It’s simply too good to be true. Seven Tips So, how can you avoid email phishing scams? Here are my tips. 1. Before acting on an email that seems to be from a trusted colleague or friend—especially if it involves an unusual request—check whether the communication is authentic. Contact them directly through a telephone call. 2. If you encounter suspicious emails at work and are unsure of what to do, promptly report them to your IT department. 3. Exercise caution when disclosing your contact information, such as email addresses and phone numbers, on public platforms. Malicious individuals may exploit this information for harmful purposes. 4. Be vigilant when responding to unsolicited emails or messages that request personal information or immediate action. 5. Validate the sender’s email address. When in doubt, use official contact details from an organisation’s official website to get in touch instead of replying to the message. 6. Don’t click on dubious links. Always double-check the URL before entering sensitive data. 7. Keep your devices anti-spam and anti-malware software up to date. Use strong and unique passwords or multi-factor authentication. (This article originally appeared on TheConversation.com on December 14, 2023, and was republished with permission.) Protect yourself Phishing Warning Signs Emails that contain one or more of the following: • Offers of free products or services, supercheap travel deals, or a sweepstakes prize or other financial windfall. • Vague or generic language, such as “payment issue,” to describe a problem with an account or purchase. • Threats of dire consequences, such as legal action or an account being frozen, if you don’t act immediately. • Requests that you click a link, open an attachment, or reply with personal or financial information to take advantage of an offer or to resolve a problem. • Multiple spelling and grammar errors—many phishing scams originate abroad. • Pop-ups on your computer or mobile device that warn of viruses, promise a prize or redirect you automatically to another site. • Unsolicited messages that claim to be from a government agency, public utility, bank, or major company. How To Protect Yourself From This Scam • Check the “From” address. If an email says it’s from Apple or Bank of America but comes from, say, a Gmail account or an address with a foreign domain, it’s phony. • Hover your mouse over links in suspicious emails to reveal the true destination. Pasting the URL into a safety checker such as VirusTotal or Google Safe Browsing can tell you if it presents a phishing or malware risk. • Use antivirus software and keep it up to date. Activate firewalls and other settings that block malicious files. • Vary the passwords on your online accounts, which can minimize the damage if you are phished or hacked. Change passwords immediately if you suspect a breach. • Don’t give out personal or financial data such as your Social Security Number or account numbers in response to an email or an unsolicited call. A company or government office contacting you on legitimate business will not ask you for such information. • Never click on a link or open an attachment unless you are certain the email comes from a trusted source. To check whether a business or government agency is really trying to contact you, use its legitimate customer service email or hotline, which you can find online or on account statements. More Resources • Forward phishing emails to the FTC at reportphishing@ apwg.org and to the business or organization the sender claims to represent. Many companies have dedicated email addresses to report phishing, which you can find online. • If you are the victim of a phishing scam, file a complaint with the FTC (online or at 877-382-4357) and visit the agency’s identitytheft.gov site for tips on how to limit and repair the damage. • You can also report phishing emails to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. The following are warning signs, tips, and resources from AARP continued
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