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What is Phishing – And Why Should You Care?
Conscious Commerce • September 1, 2019
Phishing scams continue to grow in popularity as an easy way to hack unsuspecting individuals. This scam has grown nearly 65% in the last year alone.
That’s a pretty shocking number when you consider how big phishing was just one year ago.
According to anti-phishing software Retruster – 76% of businesses reported being a victim of a phishing attack in the last year. And around 1.5 million new phishing sites are created every month.
These numbers aren’t just scary. They are staggering.
Everyone should be on the lookout for phishing scams when on the Internet. But many people still click dangerous links because they look legitimate.
The only way you can protect yourself from phishing is to understand what it is, how it works, and what it looks like.
What Is Phishing?
Phishing is a scamming tactic that involves sending fraudulent messages (like emails, text messages, direct messages) that appear to be from a reputable company. They are meant to trick people into revealing personal information like passwords, banking information, and more.
Other phishing links may infect your computer with a keylogger that will record and transmit whatever you type.
Phishers use the information you provide to scam you, break into your other accounts, and to find ways to steal your money.
Are Phishing Emails Illegal?
Phishing is illegal because the person sending the message is committing identity theft. If the phishing scam is a success, then the person is also committing fraud.
The legal penalty depends on the outcome, but on average, the penalties for phishing are strict. A conviction could see the person(s) spend a year or more in prison, all the way up to five years. There have been phishing convictions that have ended up in fines of $10,000 and more.
Are Phishing Emails Easy to Spot?
Phishing emails might be tough to see at first, but you should be able to easily determine if an email is fraudulent if you take a minute to look at it.
Here are some easy ways to determine if an email from a reputable company might actually be a phishing scam:
- Verify the email and make sure the spelling is right . Sometimes, emails will manipulate the way words are spelled. For example, you may see Pay.pal.com, Am.azon.com, Face.book.com, and other strange variations.
- Go to the website on your own without clicking the link. If you are getting an alert from a company you do business with, you should be able to find it on your own without clicking the link. If it only appears in your email, chances are that it is a scam.
- Government agencies and other reputable brands will not request important information through email . Major account changes, tax information, and other sensitive data are usually only accessible through a website or over the phone and require verification.
- Closely inspect the spelling . Reputable companies will not have spelling mistakes, but many phishing emails will have poor grammar.
- Consider the timing of the email . While companies do make changes to your accounts from time to time, always consider why they are sending the email. If the email seems suspicious, chances are that it is.
Remember – when in doubt, don’t click. Avoiding a phishing scam is easy, but recovering all of your accounts isn’t.
What Do I Do If I Get a Phishing Email?
If you receive a phishing email, do not click any links
! Don’t even open it if you can help it.
You can report phishing scams directly to your local police force by phone, email, or contact form. You can also report a phishing email
directly through Gmail to Google.
Phishing isn’t going anywhere with cybercrime on the rise. But we can all do our part to identify phishing scams and spread awareness around this important issue.
This article was written by Conscious Commerce Corporation Founder & CEO Brandon Klayman with the help of lead copywriter Eric Carriere.
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