Gone phishing...

Like me, you probably receive loads of 'dodgy' emails purporting to be from a genuine source.

How do you spot a scam, a 'phishing' email?

Phishing emails are designed to appear as real companies or individuals to defraud you by stealing your personal information or enticing you to download attachments that contain viruses or other malware.

How to spot a phishing email:

• Do you have an account with this company or know the individual?
• If so, are you expecting this email?
• Check the email sender address to see if it is legitimate.
• Be wary of attachments, especially if they are oddly named.
• Is the email generic?
• Are the grammar and spelling correct?
• When you hover on any links, it will show the URL. Is this URL linking to a site that you expect and trust?

If you believe that you have received a phishing email, please report the email (in the UK it is as simple as forwarding it to report@phishing.gov.uk), block the sender and delete the email if it has not been removed.

Many trusted companies, especially financial institutions, offer what is called "two factor authentication". 

This is a two-step process that provides an extra layer of security for you when accessing your account. When set up, you will be required to enter an additional password that will be sent to your mobile/cell phone to log into your account.

It is strongly recommended that you enable this two factor authentication, if offered, to ensure that your account can only be accessed by authorized persons, even if your information has been stolen.