Cybercrime has gotten so prevalent in today’s society that it’s difficult to find a person or company that hasn’t at least been targeted. To make matters worse, criminals have honed their skills so much that in many cases, spotting an attack is almost impossible.
But if there is one thing in common for all forms of cybercrime - it’s the motive. In most cases (if we exclude nation-state actors), it’s all about money.
The most common type of cyberattack is phishing. This is the type of attack in which crooks trick victims into revealing personal information, which they can then exploit to access financial accounts, steal identities, install malware, or cause widespread disruption.
But just because they’re common, it doesn’t mean they aren’t sophisticated. Many criminals have perfected the art of impersonation, making requests look as if they’re coming from reputable sources.
The most important step in avoiding email and phishing scams is to refrain from clicking on links or responding to messages from unfamiliar senders. Verifying the sender's email address is a must, as skilled scammers often create addresses that closely resemble legitimate ones.
With email phishing, messages can look like they are from a reputable source, asking you to update your password, a boss or colleague asking for you to help them out by sending them money, or from a retailer with a great deal on an item you want. Some cybercriminals have gotten creative, and send intimidating messages that sound like they are from a tax collection agency, like the IRS, giving you a deadline to log in and pay your debt or suffer penalties like jail time or astronomical fines.
Email is an effective way for phishing schemes to be used, but it isn’t the only place to find them. Now schemers use text messages, known as SMS phishing, to trick you into clicking through to a website or form to capture information. It’s harder to figure out if a text is legitimate compared to email messages, so many people tend to be scammed this way.
Phishing schemes can also be placed on social media sites. They look like incredible deals and offers for cool new gadgets or for services in your area. Clicking the ad might even take you to a really professional-looking website. But once your contact information is given out, your identity is compromised.
Safeguarding yourself against cyber threats
One of the best ways to avoid falling victim to an email or phishing scam is to not click on any links, or respond to messages from someone you don’t know. Check out the email address of the sender to make sure it is legitimate. Doesn't hurt to double-check because expert scammers will create email addresses that look very similar to real ones.
If you read about a new product you want to try, instead of clicking the social media link, do a search on a reputable online retailer, like Amazon, Newegg, or Walmart. If it is a good product it most likely will be sold through legitimate sources.
Likewise, if you read about a sale or a new subscription opportunity from a company, visit the company’s website first before committing to buy. The same offer will most likely be listed there, too, so you can still take advantage of it.
Phishing and email attacks, including those that carry malware in attachments, are often thwarted by antivirus software equipped with anti-phishing tools or advanced email security features. Programs like Bitdefender allow users to enable these tools within email clients like Google or Outlook, filtering out scam messages before they can reach the inbox.
Similarly, anti-phishing tools within Android antivirus apps can mitigate SMS-based scams. These mobile security solutions also block malware and malicious websites, safeguarding devices from infection and protecting users from divulging sensitive information to unknown entities.
A good antivirus software further safeguards users by blocking access to malicious pages following accidental clicks on harmful links. Additionally, such software prevents the execution of malicious files attached to harmful links, safeguarding devices from infections like bots, worms, and ransomware.
