How do I spot a phishing email?
- The email doesn’t specify your name.
"Dear Customer" or “Dear” isn’t an identifier. If you receive an email like this, there is a very high chance that this is a phishing email.
- The email asks you to confirm personal information.
Keep an eye out for emails requesting you to confirm personal information that you would never usually provide, such as banking details or login credentials. Do not reply or click any links and if you think there’s a possibility that the email is genuine, you should search online and contact the organization directly – do not use any communication method provided in the email.
- The email comes with urgent requests.
It is common for phishing emails to instill panic in the recipient. The email may claim that your account may have been compromised, and the only way to verify it is to enter your login details. Alternatively, the email might state that your account will be closed if you do not act immediately. If you are an international student or scholar, they may say that they have proof that you’re involved in certain criminal activities and that if you don’t call the following number or click the following link immediately, your visa will be canceled or you have to leave American soil in 48 hours.
Whenever you see urgent requests like this, always look online to find the official website or numbers, then contact them to verify the situation. Do not click on the links or call the numbers they provided.
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