How to Spot Phishing Scams

-
-

Don't be fooled by seemingly legitimate emails or text messages! They could be attempts to steal your identity, known as "phishing" scams. Here are the warning signs.

Step 1: Be suspicious
Ignore any email or text message that asks you to reveal sensitive information, like bank account numbers, a password, or your social security number. A legitimate company already has this information and wouldn't ask you to update it or verify it via email.

Step 2: Be leery of links and phone numbers
Don't click on any links within an email; it may lead you to a bogus website that looks like the real thing. If you want to check an account, open a new browser session and type in the URL of the company yourself, or use a bookmark you created. Do not cut and paste the link provided. Never call a phone number provided, either.

Tip
Place your mouse cursor over any link embedded in a message that you think is suspicious; if you see an address that bears no relation to the organization that's supposedly contacting you, you've caught a phish.

Step 3: Don't be pressured
Don't be intimidated by messages warning you of dire consequences if you don't provide the requested information. Such scare tactics are the hallmarks of phishing scams.

Tip
"Verify Your Account" and "If You Don't Respond Within 24 Hours Your Account Will Be Closed" are classic phishing come-ons.

Step 4: Read carefully
Read web addresses carefully. Cybercriminals often use misspellings of company names to fool people, a practice known as "typosquatting" or "cybersquatting."

Step 5: Don't get speared
Never assume an email is legitimate just because it appears to be from a firm you do business with. Cyber thieves often target a company's customers, a practice known as "spear phishing."

Step 6: Report phishing immediately

Did You Know?
Mobile users are 3 times more likely to fall for phishing scams than PC users, according to one study.

[juanpjp]

FIRST time ive heard someone pronounce Phishing. I never thought it would be pronounced like fishing. For some reason, I never looked at the word twice or analized it, but I thought it was pronounced PRI-NI-SHING
This video change my whole perspective of life lol

[alexistheman]

@Tamuz95 No, I already KNEW the phishing scam, I wasn't even gonna do anything when I was on the website. Just that it told me it was fake was good.

[CecilyCampbell]

Wow, phishing scams are slightly worse than fake advertising on TV.

[gab]

Scammer: Hello mam, You have won $10, 000, Enter your Social Security Number and your credit card number and we will deposit the money into your account!
Me: I CAUGHT ME A FISH!

[TheJasonMackie]

@kennyfighter1234 yeah they mispelled it to show how people will trick others, if you do pay attention you won't notice the difference. So that link isn't really for the "microsoft" webpage it's for the "mircosoft."

[TheSupercat]

Where can I get the background music from this video. It's so relaxing.

[artist]

I love how they say pc but she has a Mac

[oblak]

3 dislike came from 3 phishing sites owner and have a youtube account!

[alexistheman]

Just another tip they haven't mentioned.
Use the web browser Google Chrome when surfing the web. I got an e-mail from "Runescape" asking me to put in my password, I clicked the link and Chrome said "STOP! DANGEROUS WEBSITE!"

[GaMeReR]

Are they like advertising Apple? Case you got the iMac, the iPad and the iPhone...

>.>

[aax]

My friend actually fell for one of these from me. I could get into almost all of his random accounts just from an email. He was a female who wants females and males on his FB. It's kinda sad.

[elmoelmerson]

How can calling a phone number be dangerous?

[YesYesYoureRight]

I wanted to tell You-Tube company that I found a phishing email but there is no way to contact you-tube to tell them of the fraudulent email; they are uncontactable.
.
I usually send to the bank any phishing emails I get with their name on them, they have a specific email address to forward such emails received, to them; this helps to protect other bank customers.
.
Anyone know of the you-tube fraud forwarding email address; if there is one?

Cheers.

[whoisjai]

this happened to me with facebook....but i got it back :D

[tenpinbowl]

Wait.. so people actually FALL for these scams?

[stonewall]

2:14 should read" Woman are 3 times more likely to fall for phishing scams than men"
But we live in a PC worlds where we are afraid to offend anyone even if it's the truth.

[CosmicVoidWanderer]

Is catching fish for money but getting ripped off by the person who was gonna pay you also a phishing scam? o-e

[jackbowman]

i have the strangest urge to go out and buy apple products.

[Eazyfries]

Shit, i left my caution at the office.

[liu]

It seems in the video that phishing only occurs if you use Apple products lol