According to recent research, between 2010 and 2014, the rate of phishing email assaults increased by almost 162 percent. This number has subsequently risen as cyber thieves devise new and inventive methods to accomplish their terrible goals. It is critical to exercise caution with the emails you choose to open after they arrive in your inbox.
Here are five guidelines for identifying a phishing email and what to do next.
Don’t click on suspicious links
One of the hallmarks of a phishing email is the inclusion of carefully placed links inside the message. By clicking on the link, you will be able to provide the scammer with your personal information. As a result, it is advised to avoid clicking on links contained in emails that seem strange or dangerous.
Spelling errors
Since email marketing is one of the most frequently utilized marketing tactics by businesses, they are particularly concerned with ensuring that their communications are error-free. In an ideal world, genuine email communications would be free of errors in language and spelling. Examine the email and designate it as spam if it includes obvious spelling mistakes. According to a study by TechRepublic, the majority of phishing emails include grammatical and typographical mistakes.
Check the salutation
Legitimate brands will address you by your first or last name. Avoid opening emails that begin with nonspecific greetings such as “Valued Customer.”
Subject line containing urgent and dangerous language
One of the scammers’ strategies is to instill panic and a feeling of urgency in their target audience to entice them to click on a link or submit personal information. Several of the most frequently used subject lines are “account has been suspended” or “you must immediately update your account information.”
Evaluate the display name
Cyber thieves have perfected the technique of faking an email’s display name to make it seem genuine. Return Path discovered over 760,000 phishing emails sent to unwary customers impersonating big companies using the company’s actual name as the display name. Examine the email address header and, if anything seems to be wrong, do not open the email. Instead, mark it as spam and delete it immediately.
These are five tried-and-true methods for identifying phishing emails. Contact your email service provider immediately to prevent other users from being defrauded.