Don’t Take the Bait

July 10, 2017

Written By Michelle Cummings

Beware Phishing Scams

Think twice before clicking suspicious emails that land in your inbox. Phishing scams have grown in popularity and continue to trick people into a host of problems. As cybercriminals use increasingly sophisticated scams, it has never been more important to protect yourself.

Phishing scams aim to collect personal information. This data is often sold on the dark web, or websites only accessible by anonymous users, for a quick buck. Once your data is sold, it can be used in a variety of ways. Cybercriminals may attempt to apply for credit cards or try to hack into your existing accounts with the stolen information.

Recently, a particular type of phishing scheme known as Ransomware has gained popularity. Crooks use Ransomware to gain access to personal or corporate data and encrypt the files. This is often accomplished by tricking people to click on an infected link in a phishing email, which gives hackers access to a computer. The cybercriminals will then demand a “ransom” to release the encrypted data. In May, ransomware attacks hit both corporations and individuals in more than 150 countries.

“If you’ve been affected by a ransomware scam, don’t ever pay to get your data back,” says Jeremi Rowland, IT services director for MFA Oil. “It will end up costing you a lot more in the long run, as you have now made yourself a target for future scams.”

For smaller corporations or individuals, especially farmers, Rowland recommends buying an automatic backup system to limit potential data losses. Installing an automatic backup system can protect access to important documents and data from a variety of problems like viruses, a lost laptop or a ransomware attack. If data is regularly backed up on the system, all that can be lost is what’s been added or edited since the last upload.

Phishing scams can take many different forms, but cybercriminals often try to disguise their attempts by impersonating legitimate businesses and asking you to verify confidential information. Clicking links in these fraudulent emails can infect your computer with a virus or lead to a website that may look legit but is actually designed to steal usernames, passwords and other sensitive information.

“There are several identifying features of a phishing scam you may notice in an email,” Rowland says. “Broken English or misspellings, images not displaying properly and unknown senders are all potential red flags.”

If an email looks sketchy, it’s always best to play it safe. Avoid clicking links or downloading attachments from any emails you don’t trust.

“Damage from falling for a phishing scam can have a wide range of consequences,” Rowland says. “The scam could cause anything from a nuisance to catastrophic results such as massive data loss for anyone affected.”

If you realize you have fallen victim to a phishing scam, certain measures may need to be taken in order to limit the damage. You may want to check your credit report for any irregularities.

“Individuals can receive one free credit report per year that’s good for 90 days,” says James Perry, consumer service coordinator for the National Consumer League Fraud Center. “Individuals should check the inquiries section of the report to spot any red flags.”

“Individuals can receive one free credit report per year that’s good for 90 days,” says James Perry, consumer service coordinator for the National Consumer League Fraud Center. “Individuals should check the inquiries section of the report to spot any red flags.”

“Phishing scams come from outside the U.S. a majority of the time,” Perry says. “Federal Trade Commission officials look for patterns that occur in reported scams. These patterns help the officials arrest the cybercriminals to keep them from scamming others.”

Perry says the best way to stay on top of any fraud issues from phishing scams would be to request a free credit report annually. If you believe you have been affected by a phishing scam, you are encouraged to file a complaint with the National Consumer League Fraud Center at fraud.org.