posted by:
Peter Wallace at Wednesday, August 10, 2016 8:19:00 AM
Can you detect a real email from a fake one? Most of us think we can, but hackers are getting more and more sophisticated with their email phishing scams. Take this quick Phishing IQ Test to see how well you score on spotting fraud.
Phishing fraudsters take advantage of the trust you have in big brands by creating a clone of a legitimate email or a website you may have seen before. This clone is the bait. They then try to reel you in by persuading you to login with your username and password or to enter credit card information into a fraudulent website that looks real, but isn’t. Although phishing is a continual threat, there are common red flags that can alert you to the scam:
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The FROM email address is vague or unfamiliar
- The email is not addressed directly to you and says “Dear Member” or something similar
- There are misspelled words or grammatical errors
- The email has a strong sense of urgency, asking you to do something involving sensitive information right away
- Either there’s no contact details or the contact information is fake (if you called the phone number, it wouldn’t work).
- The links included in the email don’t match the brand of the company the email is supposedly from
Want to learn more? After taking the
Phishing IQ Test, check out the Federal Trade Commission’s
Consumer Information on Phishing.