These days, it is getting easier and easier for hackers to create malware to commit fraud. The reason is not that people are becoming more ignorant, but because these hackers are getting better at creating phishing sites that look like the real thing. This is why it is crucial to protect your business from such scams.
What Is Phishing?
Phishing is done when a malicious email is sent to a potential victim. A phishing email intends to obtain sensitive information related to banking details, Pay-Pal login details, or email information and credentials. The email sender will have the intention of logging into the victim’s accounts and will usually attempt to steal sensitive information or money. In other cases, phishing emails may be used to steal the victim’s identity and use it in fraudulent activities.
Phishing emails usually come in the form of legitimate-looking emails from a company or website that the victim trusts. Hackers have been known to re-create emails that claim to be from online banking applications. Even worse, these phishing emails provide links to websites that look strikingly similar to the real website. In many cases, victims will input their login details, thinking that the website is real, and they will have compromised their login information right then and there.
Protecting Your Business From Phishing Scams
Since hackers are getting better at creating phishing emails and websites, we have to be vigilant and stop them in their tracks. Here are a few tips on how to protect your business, employees, and clients from phishing scams.
1. Educate Them About Phishing
The first step is to educate people that phishing exists. The sad truth is that not everybody is aware that this kind of scam exists. This is part of the reason why so many people fall victim to phishing.
It pays to hold a meeting or seminar for your employees about phishing. It is also wise to send out an email blast to all people in your network and your clients. This email should warn them about the dangers of phishing and how to tell a real email from your company from a phishing one.
2. Teach People How To Spot Phishing Emails
Like we said earlier, phishing emails are getting more difficult to tell apart from those that are legitimate. However, we did not say it was impossible. Most of the time, phishing emails will have typographical errors or grammatical errors that are relatively easy to spot if you read all the way through.
Most sites that require sensitive information, such as banking websites, will never ask for your personal information. They will never ask for your username or password. It is a good idea to warn people of this. If they see that the email’s purpose is to “update their records” by asking for sensitive information, the email should be ignored.
3. Encourage People To Add An Anti-Phishing Plug-In To Their Web Browsers
It is a good idea to use an anti-phishing plugin to protect the information that your computer holds. These plugins will prevent phishing attempts, detect malware, and warn you of fake websites.
Lastly, it pays to use common sense. Even if the phishing email or website resemble the real deal, there will always be signs that indicate that they are fake. Warning your employees and clients about the threat of phishing will help prevent further incidents from happening.
FraudWatch International offers online brand protection from phishing, malware, social media fraud, and mobile app impersonation. We are a leading online cybersecurity agency. If you need an anti-phishing site that can help protect your employees, clients, and sensitive data, contact us! We can help you put up that protective wall you need to keep hackers out!