It’s hard to ignore the rise of phishing scams these days. They seem to pop up in our inboxes with alarming frequency. As we become more aware of these deceptive tacticsscammers are also upping their game, using increasingly sophisticated methods to lure unsuspecting victims.

A particularly infuriating tactic involves impersonating a help desk or support team. You may receive an email saying that your Microsoft 365 account is set to expire today.

The objective? To create a sense of panic and urgency, causing you to act quickly without thinking. So how do you recognize these scams and protect yourself to be their victim? Let’s go that way to keep you safe.

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A woman opening email on a laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How can you tell if it’s a scam email?

It’s easy to see why people fall prey to these types of tactics, as scammers do a relatively good job of making these scam emails look professional and legitimate. They go so far as to change the email sender’s contact information to something legitimate, such as a help desk or IT department or business.

Upon further examination of the email sender’s contact information, you can see that the domain address of the actual email address is different and random. For example, the name in the “From” field of the email can be read from the help desk, but if you click on the contact information to see the email address, it will have a domain from @magicpin.in, @gmail.com or @hotmail.comAnd so on If it’s supposed to be an email from Microsoft, you’d expect the domain to be microsoft.com.

Microsoft email scam (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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How are victims of these types of scams exploited?

Getting a “fake” email may seem relatively benign, but it can be a slippery slope to identity theft and fraud. Below are ways scammers take advantage of their victims with these phishing email scams:

1. Email validation: By opening the email or interacting with the email (clicking on a link or replying to it), you can validate that the email account they sent is active. Often, scammers randomly email people whose email address they got from data breaches, the dark web, or data harvesting.

2. Collection of information: If you reply to the email or use any other contact information they provide to “restore” your account, it will validate that the email address they contacted is active, and they’ll probably give you a hard sell on financial and personal information. If you call any phone number they give you, they will also link your phone number to your email address so they can continue to update their information about you.

3. Malware distribution: They will often have buttons, links or attachments included in the email. If you click on the attachment, it may download malware or a virus to your device. If you click on a link that is provided in the email, it may take you to a website that will collect your personal and financial information or download malware or viruses to your device.

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What should you do if you receive these types of phishing emails?

There are some simple steps you can take if you receive an email that you suspect is a phishing scam.

1. Do not click on any links or buttons or download or open any attachments: This helps prevent the installation of malware and protects your personal information. The best way to protect yourself from malicious links that install malware, which could access your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to e- phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best antivirus protection winners of 2024 for your Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices.

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2. Do not respond to or contact these scammers by email or phone: Interacting with them can confirm that your email address is active, leading to more scams.

3. If your email client allows this, you can block the sender and report it as a phishing email: This action helps protect you and others by alerting your email provider of malicious activity.

4. Check the legitimacy of the email by checking the official website of the organization: Accessing your account directly ensures that you receive accurate information without being fooled by fake notifications.

5. If two-factor authentication is offered for your account, enable it: 2FA adds an extra layer of security, making it harder for scammers to gain access even if they have your password.

6. Invest in personal data removal services: Reducing your digital footprint minimizes the risk of identity theft and scams based on collected data. While no service promises to remove all of your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously on a longer period of time. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.

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Kurt’s main takeaways

Phishing scams are becoming more sophisticated, but staying informed and vigilant can significantly reduce your risk. By adopting good digital habits and following the tips we’ve shared, you can navigate the online world with confidence. Remember, awareness is your best defense, so keep sharing this knowledge with friends and family to help protect everyone from these deceptive tactics.

What’s the most unusual or clever phishing attempt you’ve come across and how did you recognize it as a scam? Let us know by writing to Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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