It’s been a hectic day, and you receive an urgent request to do something. Stop! Wait. Review the sender and the message. Is it someone you know, and is the email address correct? Does it seem out of character to receive a demanding message from the sender? If you remain cautious and look for the common signs of a spam, spoof, or phishing message, you can protect your computer, personal information, and company from potential harm.
Spot the Difference in Spam Messages
- Spam -Unsolicited or unwanted emails that are sent to many recipients. This is an unwanted email and may have an ‘advertising’ or ‘services offered’ element.
- Phishing – An attempt to trick individuals into revealing and stealing their sensitive information. This could be login credentials or financial-related information. Often the sender will pose as a trustworthy entity (your boss, your bank, the government, a well-known company) and include links in the message that appear to be from legitimate sources.
- Smishing (SMS or Short Message Service Phishing) – Text messages are used to steal or reveal sensitive information like phishing and may also contain links to fake websites from sources that look legitimate. The links may prompt individuals to give away confidential information, to download malware, or to purchase items.
- Spoofing – Attackers impersonate a trusted source to gain access to sensitive information. They often use a fake IP address impersonating a trusted source, or the message attempts to intercept communication between two parties (Man-in-the-Middle attack).
How to Identify Spam & Phishing Emails
- Check the Sender and Address – If they don’t match, or if the email address is unfamiliar, it is likely spam. If the reply-to address doesn’t match the sender’s address, or if it is a no-reply address, it is likely spam.
- Check the subject line and the message body – If they are vague or contain spelling or grammatical errors, it is likely spam. If the tone and style of the message is too urgent, too good to be true, too friendly, or too impersonal, it is likely spam. Be wary of urgent or threatening language, or messages requesting personal or financial information. This is likely phishing. Hover over links to check their destination before clicking. If the website link looks suspicious, it is likely phishing.
What to Do After Receiving Spam or Phishing Emails
- Block the Sender – In Outlook, from the Home tab, select ‘Block Sender.’
- Report the Sender email as ‘Phishing’ or ‘Junk’ – In Outlook, from the Home tab, select ‘Report Phishing’ or ‘Report Junk.’
Stay safe when reviewing emails and texts. Remember to stop and check for spam before you open.
