In 2021, spam and phishing text messages were up 146%, subjecting consumers to dangerous cybercriminals attempting to steal valuable personal information.
Scammers create emails and websites that impersonate the top brands worldwide, in hopes of tricking victims into giving up their financial accounts or credit card information.
If you receive an official-looking email or text from what appears to be a legitimate source, look for underlying messages seeking to capture personal information from you to help determine if it’s a scam. Beware of lookalike login sites that attempt to capture personal information as well. Lookalike sites are designed to resemble the web pages of familiar brands or companies. They include the same logos or photos but sell counterfeit goods with the intention of spreading malware.
Regarding phishing emails (or texts), you should:
1) be wary of unknown authors and attachments, which could contain a virus;
2) refrain from clicking on links that look suspicious;
3) delete the message if you have any doubt;
4) consider installing an anti-phishing app which can detect such malicious scams.
The bottom line is that a phishing message may look official and come from an official-looking source; however, the messages tend to include copy that preys on fear, greed or curiosity. Phishing emails frequently include malicious links or attachments, and the attacker will often bait the recipient into giving away personal or confidential information. Once that information is collected, the victim’s device may be exposed to malware.
