Phishing: 6 Common Red Flags

Business owners and their employees need to be aware of phishing, one of the most common threats in today’s digital landscape. In everything you do online, always keep in mind that phishing may be just around the corner of your computer. Luckily, phishing messages can be easy to spot as long as you are observant and think before you click!

If you can look out for the most common red flags, you can detect and bypass a possible phishing attack.

Here are the 6 common red flags:

• Urgent or threatening language: Phishing attempts often create a sense of urgency or use threatening language to prompt immediate action. Phases like "urgent action required," "account suspended," or "your account will be deleted" may indicate a phishing attempt.
• Generic greetings: Phishing emails may use generic greetings like "Dear Customer" instead of addressing you by your name. Legitimate organizations often personalize their communications with your name or other relevant information.
• Requests for personal information: Legitimate organizations do not request personal information, such as usernames, passwords, or credit card numbers, via email, social media, or other online means. Be cautious of any request for personal information.
• Misspellings or grammatical errors: Phishing emails or messages may contain misspellings, grammatical errors, or awkward phrasing. Legitimate organizations usually have professional communications and do not contain obvious errors.
• Suspicious links or attachments: Be cautious of links or attachments in emails or messages from unknown or untrusted sources. Hover over links to check their actual destinations, and do not click on suspicious links or download attachments that you were not expecting.
• Too good to be true: Phishing attempts may lure individuals with enticing offers, such as winning a prize or getting a huge discount. If an offer seems too good to be true, it may be a phishing attempt.

It’s crucial to stay vigilant when using the internet. Paul Jackson, CEO and Cybersecurity Specialist of Jackson Technologies has witnessed different damages caused by phishing attacks. As a precaution for businesses, we have various tools and programs that can help your company mitigate your risk of not only phishing attacks but other serious kinds of cyber threats.

Plan ahead and develop your cyber strategy before it’s too late!