Many people have already filed their taxes but this does not
mean that the bad guys are not on the hunt to try and steal personal
identification and financial information. Enterprises TV relays some of the
hoaxes making the rounds.
Email phishing is a major activity. Be wary of any sort of “official”
looking communication from banks, the human resource department of where you
work, and be especially wary of email from what seems to be from the IRS. None
of them are authentic. The IRS does not email taxpayers and ask for personal
information at all – ever. Call or email the bank if an email note arrives
asking for confirmation about anything. If a note seems to come from the
company HR department, go to their office and ask if they send out any communication
to you. Never clink on any link from
something that seems phishy. Those links can release malware which can
steal any personal and financial information stored on computers.
“Spear phishing” is more targeted and personalized. Other
warning signs of “official” emails:
The note gives a time deadline to reply, most likely being
within 24 hours or be locked out of their account.
The link to click in the email looks too long or the bank’s
name is slightly misspelled in it. It also pays to keep in mind that most banks
do not ask customers to click a link.
Enterprises TV also reminds readers to utilize good cyber hygiene.
Use different passwords for each account. Change passwords often and engage
two-step authentication. Businesses of any size should upgrade network security
protocols regularly. Finally, if in doubt about an unusual request sent via
email, delete the note and contact the real institution immediately. Be alert,
be safe.
image:patch.com |
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