(Another slightly geeky informative article from the minion running TheFarsider machine for Leroy…)
When talking about crooks trying to get your information, as in the last article about hacking, I thought it would be prudent to mention the other evil twin out there on the web, Phishing. I’m sure a lot of you retirees are approching or, as myself, are into the octogenarian part of life so it’s time to be aware of such nefarious activities.
To start, I asked Mr. Google to define phishing:
“Phishing is a type of cyberattack where criminals pretend to be a trusted source to trick people into giving away private data like passwords or credit card numbers.”
Now for some details…
Catch the Hook: How to Spot and Avoid Phishing Scams
Phishing remains one of the most common cyber threats. At its core, phishing is a digital scam where attackers impersonate trustworthy institutions—like banks, government agencies, or popular online retailers—to trick you into handing over passwords, credit card numbers, or personal data.
While tactics evolve, scammers rely on a predictable set of psychological tricks. Knowing what to look for makes it easy to spot a fake message before taking the bait.
Red Flags to Watch Out For
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Artificial Urgency: Messages claiming your account is “suspended,” a package delivery failed, or unauthorized login activity was detected rely on panic to make you act fast.
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Mismatched Senders: A message claiming to be from Microsoft or your bank might display a generic address (e.g.,
support@mail-update-sec.com) or rely on subtle typos likemicros0ft.com. -
Suspicious Links: Hover over links (without clicking) to preview the destination URL. If the text says “YourBank.com” but the preview points elsewhere, it’s a scam.
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Generic Greetings: Phishing emails sent in bulk often use vague salutations like “Dear Customer” or “Valued Member” rather than your real name.
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Requests for Sensitive Info: Legitimate organizations rarely ask for full social security numbers, passwords, or PINs via email or text.
How to Protect Yourself
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Go Straight to the Source: Never click embedded links to fix account issues. Open a new browser window, navigate directly to the company’s official website, or call the phone number listed on your physical card or billing statement.
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Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Adding MFA creates an extra barrier, keeping hackers out of your accounts even if they acquire your password. Ask your financial institution about setting this up.
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Use Password Managers: A browser or third-party password manager won’t auto-fill your credentials on a fake website, serving as an automatic line of defense.
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Verify Requests Out-of-Band: If a coworker or manager sends an urgent, unusual request for a wire transfer or gift cards, confirm it through a separate communication channel (like a phone call).
Hope some of this information help you avoid some of these traps cyber crooks put out there.
Stay physically and electronically safe out there…
-Eric
Good summation and good info.
Thanks Ken!