Outsmarting Online Monsters: A Guide to Phishing Prevention

Halloween is here, and while we may be bracing ourselves for ghosts and goblins, there's another type of creature lurking in the shadows of the internet—phishing scams. These online monsters are like vampires trying to invade your house. Once they're in, doom awaits. But fear not, for this Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we're here to arm you with knowledge and three simple tips to outsmart these digital fiends and protect your valuable data.

1. Recognize the Common Signs:

Phishing scams often come disguised as messages from trusted sources, but they're really traps waiting to be sprung. Here's how to spot them:

• Urgent or Emotionally Appealing Language: Phishers play on your emotions, creating a sense of urgency or excitement to get you to act quickly.

• Requests for Personal or Financial Information: Be wary of any message asking for sensitive data like passwords, credit card numbers, or Social Security information.

• Unexpected Attachments: If you receive an unsolicited attachment or file, think twice before opening it.

• Untrusted Shortened URLs: Shortened links can hide the true destination. Hover your mouse over the link to see where it leads.

• Email Addresses that Don't Match: Check the sender's email address. If it doesn't match the supposed source, it's likely a scam.

• Poor Writing or Misspellings: While less common, some phishing emails contain obvious grammar and spelling mistakes.