How To Identify Phishing & Stay Safe From Its Clutches | Complete Guide!

The internet is a fantastic place. It is a repository of the world’s knowledge. All one has to do to avail of a particular service, do some research or learn about new things is type a few keywords here and there, click a few links and unlock doors to a whole new world. But, here is a thought to consider. We have already stated that the internet is a beautiful place, filled with opportunities and wisdom galore. And we are only a click away from accessing all that knowledge. But what if, the knowledge that we are running after turns to ashes in our mouth and all we are left with is a violation of personal space and leak of private information. Yes, the internet is not all that safe and secure as some would presume it to be. There is immense scope for data breach and fraudulent activities. Speaking of which, many of us might already be oriented with the term ‘phishing’. In case you are not, we are here to explain all about it and also discuss some of the ways in which you can identify such activities and stay safe from them.

What Is Phishing?

Here is a small analogy to help you understand the term better. If you have ever been interested in fishing or have had a first-hand experience of the activity, you would know that it includes using a bait to lure the fish in the water body. The bait is what entices the fish and gets them trapped. Phishing (which obviously sounds like ‘fishing’) makes use of the same concept of bait. Unsuspecting victims get notifications, emails, and links from parties requesting them to click on the link. These links and notifications are nothing but baits. Once you click on the link or download an attachment, which pose themselves as credible and authentic sources, all your personal and sensitive information like card details, bank details, and other information are stolen by these malicious actors. Therefore, every mail that you receive on the internet is not always safe or credible.

How to Identify Phishing Threats?

Now that we have provided you with some clarity about phishing and the threats it poses to an individual’s privacy let us now move on to looking at the various ways in which one can identify a threat as such.

Check If the Message Is Sent from A Public Domain

Authentic and credible sources will always send emails from the company’s own domain. Thus, there is your first clue. The minute you find any email from a supposedly authentic organization from a public domain like Gmail and the like, you must pick up the hint and send the mail to junk already. These emails are no good and probably have only one intention, and that is stealing personal data. Therefore, you must steer clear of these emails at once. You must check Forex Academy to become more educated in the ways you could identify such volatile situations and manage them accordingly.

Poorly Written Mails Are a Red Signal

Believe it or not, but content plays a significant role in determining whether an email is sent from an authentic source or not. Every established organization has its own outreach team who are skilled in whatever job they handle. These organizations would never send out emails that are poorly written or are half-baked. Therefore, the minute you find such emails, you must leave the space at once and delete every trace of them from your system.

Beware of Emails That Have a Sense of Urgency

Authentic organizations, banks and the like would never want to spur you into immediate action no matter how determined they are to do some good business. However, emails and notifications that call for urgent action or press on you to download a link or divulge personal details must be treated carefully. These emails are pernicious and are aimed at stealing sensitive data. Therefore, you must be wary of such emails.

Conclusion

You must be extremely aware of your surroundings if you are to thrive in this world without falling into pernicious traps. The internet might be the biggest gift of technology. But it is also a place where illicit activities are conceived. Therefore, be careful of the sites you visit and the attachments you download and stay safe from activities like phishing and cyber-bullying.

ENJOY & HAPPY LEARNING! :+1:

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