20 Seconds to Review- to AVOID Getting PHISHED!

Threats come in ALL forms of communication- from phone calls, to ads and apps- but the most effective for these bad actors are SPEAR phishing emails. These emails are hyper-targeted, they may APPEAR to come for your bank, your boss or your babe, they may call you by name, they may make a reference to your work location or even your neighborhood. We have seen some DOOZIES… including “outsourced lawyers” asking for users to click on links to upload information related to downsized employees, bad actors who claim to have damning data on the victim, and threatening to use social media to reveal them.

Make 2020 the year that you begin to take 20 seconds to review emails before taking any action to determine if they are authentic. Check out how to review emails in some detail below:

1.  Phishing emails will often try to create a sense of urgency. This can be the subject, such as emails related to account security or finances, or they may mention time sensitivity. 

2.  Be wary of unusual requests. Have you ever done business or communicated with someone in this fashion? If an email raises any doubts, follow up with MNS Group for additional guidance. 

3.  Use caution when an email asks you to login to any service if you did not specifically request a login link or information for that service. Check the link before clicking it, and if you have clicked it, double-check to make sure you were taken to a legitimate website. For example, phishing emails will often use complicated URL’s to hide where they are actually going: https://login.microsoftonline.com – Legitimate https://login.microsoftonline.login-handler.com – Phishing Link 

4.  It is especially important to look for misspellings and additional information before the TLD (.com/.net/.org). If you are unsure if the website is legitimate, manually type the URL you know is legitimate and use that to login. 

5.  Double-check the sender address is actually who they say. Emails will often display a sender in two parts, a Display Name and the email address. If the Display Name is correct but the email address is incorrect, this is a red flag. 

6.  If you are unsure of an email, do not be ashamed of asking for a second opinion from a coworker or checking in with MNS Group.