Phishing Email

The Internet world is a fun and exciting place, but it can also be a dangerous place. You wouldn’t walk down the street without being careful of who you talk to and where you go, but somehow, when we are in the comfort of our own home, we feel safe, even though we are interacting with potentially millions of strangers on the Internet. One danger of the Internet that it’s important to be aware of is the phishing email.

What is Phishing?

What is a phishing email? Phishing is a term created for the computer world which refers to attempts by malicious persons to “fish” for information. The term combines traditional “fishing” with the prefix of “phone.” Phishing is not generally done over the phone, although it can be, but it does use telecommunications to attempt to hook information from a user.

What is a Phishing Email?

A phishing email is an email that attempts to get you to send personal information to the sender, who will then use it for a malicious purpose such as identity theft. Why would you send personal information to an identity thief? Well, because these individuals cleverly disguise their emails as requests for information from a legitimate source. For example, you may get an email that looks like it is from EBay saying that you are on record as having ordered an expensive item, and if you did not, you need to log on by inputting your username and password. Once you do that and send it, the identity thief has your information. Even sneakier, they may just include a link to the site. When you click the link, it takes you to a dummy site that looks just like EBay, but once you put in your name and password, the information again goes to the thief. It won’t necessarily be EBay, of course. It could look like it’s UPS, Amazon.com, some other popular shopping or financial site, or even your own bank!

How to Recognize a Phishing Email

The number one feature that should raise a red flag for you is getting an email requesting a password. Most reputable companies will never solicit your password under any circumstances. Another sign is if the email suggests that something dire might happen if you don’t act right away, for example, by suggesting that you are about to be debited for a large purchase or even that your identity has already been stolen. To sum up, if you get an official looking email saying there is an emergency and you must provide your password immediately, beware. You’re better off deleting the email and running a spyware scan on your computer. If you’re still concerned about the account mentioned in the email, call the official customer service number of the account to check.

What to Do About Phishing Emails

If you are concerned that an email may be part of a phishing scam, do not respond to the email. Forward it to your email service provider and let them know your concern. If you want to make sure that the email is not legit, type the web address provided (assuming it is a company you recognize and have dealings with) into the browser. Do NOT click the link. When you get to the website, send an email asking if there are any problems. You will probably find out that there are none.