How to recognize and avoid phishing scams

Phishing is a form of social engineering technique used by attackers to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details, as one person/organization trustworty. Since most online users are not aware of the techniques used in the performance of a phishing attack, often the victims and therefore, phishing can be very effective.

With the dramatic increase in the number of scams in recent years, there was also a steady increase in the number of people who are victims. Lack of awareness of the population is the main reason behind such attacks. This article will try to educate users about these online scams frauds and irregularities and awareness.

Scams usually sends an e-mail message to users who request it for their personal information, or redirect to a website where they can enter their personal information. Here are some tips that can be used to identify various techniques of phishing and to stay away from it.

 

Identify a phishing scam

 

1. the attention of e-mail messages that require an urgent response on your part. Some examples are as follows:

• You may receive an e-mail message that appears to come from your bank or financial organisation that says "your bank account is limited due to unauthorized activity. Please Confirm your account asap to avoid permanent suspension ". In most cases, you are prompted to follow a link (URL) that takes you to a spoofed website (similar to your website Bank) and enter your logon information.
• In some cases, the phishing messages may ask you to make a phone call. There may be a person or an audio response to expect from the other side of the phone to take your credit card information, account number, social security number or other important data.

2. phishing e-mail messages is not generally personally. Since a lagre number aimed at the users online, usually using generalized texts like "Dear valued customer", "Dear Paypal user" etc., to address to you. However, some phishing messages may be an exception to this rule.

3. When you click on links contained in a phishing email, you will most likely be taken to a fake website with official logos and information that looks exactly like the original Web pages from your bank or financial company. Attention to the URL of a Web page before you enter any of your personal information. Even if they appear to be identical to the legitimate site malicious websites, often uses a different domain or variant spelling. For example, instead paypal.com's, a phishing website can use different addresses like:

• papyal.com
• PayPal.org
• Verify-paypal.com
• xyz.com/PayPal/Verify-Account/

 

Tips to avoid being the victim of phishing

 

1. Don't respond to suspicious emails that ask you to provide your personal information. If you are not sure whether an online request is legitimate, verify the same by calling the respective Bank/company. Always use the phone numbers that are printed in your Bank records or statements and not those mentioned in the suspicious e-mail message.

2. do not use links in email, instant messaging or chat conversation to enter a Web site. Instead, always type the URL of the Web site in your browser address bar to enter a Web site.

3. legitimate Web sites should always use a secure connection (https://) in these pages are intended to collect sensitive data such as usernames and passwords, account numbers or details, credic cards. You will see a lock icon in the address bar of your browser indicates a secure connection. On some Web sites such as paypal.com, which uses an extended validation certificate, in the address bar of GREEN triggers, as shown below.

 

 

In most cases, as opposed to a legitimate Web site, a Web site phishing or spoofed website will not use a secure connection and do not display the lock icon. Thus, in the absence of these security features can be a clear sign of a phishing attack. Always double-check the security features of the site before entering into any of your personal information.

4. always use a good antivirus software, firewall and email filters to filter out unwanted traffic. Also ensure that your browser is up-to-date with patches applied.

5. report a "phishing attack" or "spoofed" e-mails to the following groups to stop attacks from spreading throughout the Internet:

Directly, you can send an email to spam@uce.gov or reference of an attack to reportphishing@antiphishing.org. Also, you can notify the Internet Crime Complaint Center of the FBI by filing a complaint on their website at: www.ic3.gov.

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