Phishing

What Is Phishing?

Hackers and scammers use phishing scams to trick you into sharing a password or sensitive information. 

Examples include:

• sharing a link to a fake login page
• asking for your password or private information directly, e.g. asking for your birthday, social security number, etc.

What Should I Look Out For?

Hackers and scammers will try to get your data any way they can.

Look out for:

• Emergencies or urgent messages — be careful if someone is rushing you to do something.
• Lost accounts or restricted access
• Mistakes or typos — if you see a lot of mistakes, the wrong email, or your name is missing.
• Suspicious links — be wary of links in emails that seem strange or suspicious.

If you see one or a combination of these, it could be a scam.

Tips To Stay Cybersafe

Worried after seeing a suspicious message?

Here are some tips for checking your accounts while staying safe:

• Visit your account with a trusted link or bookmark.
• Did you receive a message from someone you know ? Call them directly through a known number to double check.
• Did you receive a message from someone who says they know you? Call a trusted person that knows them to verify.

Otherwise... you can report the phishing attempt and delete it!

Can I Tell Them To Stop?

If you know you have received a scam message, the best thing you can do is block the sender and delete the message.

If you respond, you are letting the hacker know that they have found a "live" email or phone number. Then, you may see even more scam attempts.