The personal data of 214 million Facebook and Instagram accounts on the run -
geeko
You have probably already received an email from Netflix, the government or your bank urging you to pay an unpaid bill urgently at the risk of seeing your subscription canceled or receiving a hefty fine.
You may also have received emails warning you that you won a contest that you don't remember participating in.
In either case, there is a good chance that it is a phishing attempt to recover your private or banking data.
The first thing to do in these cases is to take your time.
Don't give in to the pressure and study the following carefully before sharing sensitive information with the wrong people.
Verify sender's address
Checking the sender's email address should become a reflex, even if you are sure of the origin of the email.
You are never safe from a well-crafted scam.
The point is that it is possible to display an email address as the sender name.
It is also possible to display a name and an email address to create an illusion.
This is why it is always better to verify the origin of the email by clicking on the name of the sender.
Its real address will then be displayed.
This may seem reliable because it contains the name of the organization which supposedly contacts you (Netflix, PayPal, begouv, etc.), but several clues can put you on the ear like a Netflix address @ hotmail.com, suport134@Netflix.it and many more.
When they contact you, companies will always do so with an official address.
Check for spelling errors
The presence of spelling errors is an element that is rarely misleading, as are grammar or language errors.
If the text of the email is faulty, there is a good chance that it is a scam.
The use of English should alert you, even if the head office of the service is English speaking.
If Amazon or Netflix contacts you to pay off a debt, they will do so in the language you use their service in.
Finally, the use of atypical fonts or colors in the text should also put you on the spot.
If some correspondents highlight in red or yellow the important elements, it is rarely during the first exchange and it is rather with people and not with those in charge of the billing department.
Worry about emergencies and threats
The authors of fraudulent emails rely heavily on urgency and do not hesitate to threaten their targets to push them to pay or share personal information.
Not wishing to receive a fine or have their subscription suspended, many Internet users pay the requested amount without checking the origin of the email.
If you receive an urgent email threatening you with a fine, take two minutes to analyze it.
There is little chance that the sentence will be executed in the next two minutes.
Start by checking the previous points and if the email seems authentic to you, contact the customer service of the brand, the service or other, taking care to find your email the phone number or the email address.
The absence of information should alert you
The vast majority of official emails from brands, services and other institutions are very long, as they display information on data processing, a description of the company, and even contact information.
If not, ask yourself the right questions.
The absence of the sender's logo should also spark your ears, as is the case in the example below.
5 tips to never be fooled by email scams again - geeko
Identify specific URLs
If despite everything, the email appears authentic and you clicked on one of the links displayed, check the URL of the site to which it referred you, even if the site again appears authentic.
Some hackers spare no effort to deliver perfect copies, but URLs don't lie.
In general, prevention is better than cure, however: clicking on a link in an email already exposes you to viruses or data leaks.
So only click if you think there is a chance that the sender is serious.
High Tech
Trickbot: Once neutralized, this devastating virus is making a comeback through a phishing campaign
High Tech
Netflix: Beware of phishing campaigns, 70,000 French subscribers already targeted
Fraud
Phishing
Computer science
High Tech
Cybersecurity
Personal data
Cyber attack
E-mail