How to Avoid Phishing Emails

Several ways to avoid phishing emails:

1. Know the phishing emails

Phishing emails might look authentic. However, checking the credibility of an email is essential. The phishing method develops and changes over time. Therefore, the earlier you find out the newest method, researching or making yourself aware of types of phishing and fact-checking the source of the email would help you differentiate between true and fake emails.

2. Do not click on the link

The phishing email sometimes is sent with links on it. A link will direct you to a site where your identity and personal information might be transferred or leaked. Therefore, after checking if the senders are real people you have business with, it is important not to immediately and recklessly click on the link sent in the emails. As the URL destination can seem similar to a carbon copy of a genuine site, it is better to directly go to the site you are searching by typing and using search engines.

3. Get free anti-phishing add-ons

Using a third-party provider is not wrong. Nowadays, many available add-ons can be downloaded free to detect if a mail is potentially spam or phishing. They can spot and tell you if an email is sending a malicious website through an alert so that you will recognize that it is a phishing site.

4. Do not give your information to an unreliable source

The easiest way to check if a site is authentic and reliable is to see if it starts with “https,” or if you do not see a closed padlock icon next to the URL, do not enter any sensitive or personal information. However, there are many other ways to see if the source is legit; one of many is to check the institution providing the website and their certifications.

5. Update your password regularly

If you got online accounts in any form, such as social media or email, it is better to check on them regularly and update your password regularly. This is to prevent any attacker from gaining unlimited access. Sometimes people do not realize they have shared their personal information, which shall not be shared. Thus, to close the access, adding extra layers of protection to your account and updating the password regularly will help to close the unlimited access of data breaches.

6. Install firewalls

A firewall is effective in preventing and blocking external threats such as phishing. It is working as a shield to protect malicious spam or cyber threats like unreliable and uncredible sites. The desktop firewalls and network firewalls are the way to bolster your security and help to reduce the opportunity for the hacker to infiltrate your space.

7. Do not be easily tempted by pop-ups or advertisement

It is essential to see if the advertisement is logical and rational. Sometimes, phishing comes by serving easy money or promotion, tempting the target with direct action to click on the pop-ups. This is crucial to note that a significant gain from the advertisement shall not directly and easily tempt someone. Sometimes one does deceive the target with a fake “close” button. Thus it is better to see for an “x” on the corner of the pop-ups. It is better to be careful than to be sorry.