Phishing scams are on the rise, lurking in our inboxes, text messages, and even across the internet. These deceptive attempts to steal your personal information can have devastating consequences. But fear not, savvy web surfers! By understanding how to identify these scams and taking some proactive steps, you can protect yourself from this electronic fraud.

The Bait and Switch: How Phishing Works

Phishing scams rely on a simple trick: tricking you into giving away your personal information. Scammers will often impersonate legitimate organizations, like your bank, credit card company, or even a popular online store. They’ll send emails, texts, or create fake websites that look real, urging you to click on a link or download an attachment.

Here’s the catch: those links or attachments are designed to steal your data, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or even your Social Security number. Once they have this information, they can wreak havoc on your financial well-being.

Internet:

Phishing websites can mimic real ones perfectly. Look for mismatched URLs, poorly designed layouts, and generic greetings instead of your name.

Email:

Check the sender’s email address carefully. Does it look legitimate? Is it from a free email service like Gmail or Yahoo, when the company typically uses its own domain?

SMS (Smishing):

Similar to email scams, smishing texts often create urgency and use scare tactics. Don’t click on links in suspicious texts, even if they claim to be from your bank or mobile carrier.