What does a city look like? Think of the biggest, busiest city you’ve ever known. Think of the number of people, businesses and interactions that happen there every day. The movement that happens in any of the cities you picture in your head doesn’t come even close to the amount of traffic the Internet receives per minute.
And just as in big cities, the danger is real. Scams, identity theft, harassment… you are exposed to it all the time, even without knowing it. One of the most common and dangerous forms of online risk is precisely malicious mail, better known as phishing.
This type of fraud or scam uses your email address as a window to your personal information, your physical integrity and even your financial assets.
Want to know how to avoid becoming the next victim of malicious mail? Pay attention to these tips.
PROTECT YOUR DATA
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
The most valuable asset today, both online and in the real world, is your information: your name, your address, your phone number, etc. Believe it or not, most online criminals today actively profit from stealing users’ private information online.
To achieve this, they use often unnoticeable tricks, such as duplicates of official websites, forged mail from large and influential companies, porno français, etc.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
Most of the time, it is enough to keep your eyes open for the warning signs that malicious mail triggers on any web veteran. Some of these are:
- The use of real company names, either in the title or in your sender email. In this case, always validate the information directly with the receiving company or look for other official sources of information.
- They include links to websites that at least visibly appear to redirect to the real one. You can always validate whether a website is safe or not by looking at the icon next to the link. If it is painted green, it is a secure site.
- Generally, they use elements of alarm or loss of an existing account as a hook to get your attention. In most cases, these emails will ask you to take immediate action to make you despair. Again, seek alternative sources of information before taking any action. Especially in these cases, you should never act on impulse.
- Always keep your antivirus activated. Always.
BEWARE OF BANKING
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
When it comes to online banking, you should be 3 to 5 times more cautious than usual. After all, a single mistake can cost you… big time.
It is well known that, although most banks have online banking and often send emails, they will never invite you to proceed with any transaction or operation via email. As they know that security is important, any kind of private information will always be requested through their online portal.
Keep this in mind whenever an email from any of your banks arrives in your inbox.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
If a malicious email arrives in your inbox with the signature of any of your banks, take these precautionary measures:
- Disregard immediately if the sender asks you for confidential information, such as passwords, verification keys, etc.
- Do not open any attached links. This is the most known method to lead you to a fraudulent network.
- Do you have doubts? Do you think the case could be real? Contact your bank directly by phone.
Just in case? Periodically check your bank account and monitor your withdrawals. This way you can be sure where your money goes and to whom.
