Malware phishing data3 Tips for Avoiding Phishing Scams

Picture this: You’re at work when you get an email from your boss, encouraging you to check out a new financial document. You click the link and are prompted to put in your email address and password. Without a second thought, you comply.

Unfortunately, you’ve become a victim of a phishing scam. This means that a nefarious actor has sent an email in which they posed as your boss – potentially after gaining access to your boss’ email – and will now use your username and password to steal vital customer information and potentially gain access to critically sensitive consumer data. This can be a devastating blow to your company.

Thankfully, there are many ways to protect your business from phishing scams.

1. Training

In all but the most advanced phishing scams, there will be a telltale sign that an email does not originate from the person that it is purported to have been sent. These clues may take many forms, like oddly formatted links, unfamiliar attachments, or broken English. With proper training, an employee can be taught to recognize these signs and avoid a phishing scam.

2. Update Your Internal Security

With up-to-date antivirus software and the ability to remotely make changes to your security apparatus, you can be protected against phishing efforts. This means that you must always stay on top of your security in order to better protect against threats. Of course, this likely isn’t realistic for you, as you don’t have the time or expertise to constantly be on the lookout for the latest phishing trends. As such, it is often worth it to hire an outside IT firm, like Artemis IT, that is trained in these procedures.

3. Add “External” Tags

As you may have noticed, many companies now automatically add a message to the effect of, “Warning: This email comes from an external source.” This is an anti-phishing effort. Yes, it takes some time to get used to, and employees need to be trained to keep an eye out. However, when used properly, these tags can alert employees to the fact that an email actually originated from outside of the network. If a warning like this is seen on an email that purports to be from an employee, it can serve as a warning that someone is trying to complete a phishing scam.

If you need help protecting against phishing scams, improving your IT security, or improving your information technology, please reach out to us at Artemis IT. At Artemis IT, we have developed numerous robust security products and the expertise to ensure that your company is protected against scams while operating at the maximum possible efficiency. Our goal is to help improve your customer service, capabilities, and communication skills; we can do all this and more.