Expert advice to protect yourself from phishing scams
Egress reports that the most common phishing attacks were malicious urls, imposter messages, and malware
(InvestigateTV) — StationX estimates that 3.4 billion phishing emails are sent daily, accounting for 1.2% of all email traffic.
Phishing is when thieves are texting you, calling you, emailing you, acting like they are somebody else to gain access to your personal information.
Cherry Dale, a financial coach with the Virginia Credit Union, said be suspicious of all emails and texts coming from your financial institutions.
“If they’re saying click on this link and give me your account number, any personal information, that is a red flag right there,” Dale advised. “Be suspicious of anything where it has that link asking for those personal information.”
Dale said some texts or emails are legitimate and your financial institution will contact consumers, but usually only if they have set up different areas for automatic texts.
For example, so people set up balance alerts, where their financial institution calls or messages if their account falls below a certain threshold.
Dale said the key is always remembering that financial institutions have personal information already. They will not ask for it, out of the blue.
Consumers should be on the lookout for texts or emails urging people to act quickly or pressuring them: scammers are experts at playing with emotions.
“We are so emotionally attached to our money and it’s very stressful if somebody has access to our money,” she commented. “That we don’t’ want them to, so phishers and scammers know that and use it against you.”
Dale said be cautious. Before acting on a strange message or text, stop, slow down and think about it, don’t just react. Don’t click the link and hang up if they are on the phone.
She suggested calling financial institutions from the number on the back of the card to verify suspicious texts or emails.
For those that discover a scam, Dale said report that to that place and the financial institution, because they are documenting everything as well and even going after scammers when they can.
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