Phishing

Hackers and scammers use phishing scams to trick you into sharing a password or sensitive information. 

Examples include:

• sharing a link to a fake login page
• asking for your password or private information directly, e.g. asking for your birthday, social security number, etc.

Hackers and scammers will try to get your data any way they can.

Look out for:

• Emergencies or urgent messages — be careful if someone is rushing you to do something.
• Lost accounts or restricted access
• Mistakes or typos — if you see a lot of mistakes, the wrong email, or your name is missing.
• Suspicious links — be wary of links in emails that seem strange or suspicious.

If you see one or a combination of these, it could be a scam.

Worried after seeing a suspicious message?

Here are some tips for checking your accounts while staying safe:

• Visit your account with a trusted link or bookmark.
• Did you receive a message from someone you know ? Call them directly through a known number to double check.
• Did you receive a message from someone who says they know you? Call a trusted person that knows them to verify.

Otherwise... you can report the phishing attempt and delete it!

If you know you have received a scam message, the best thing you can do is block the sender and delete the message.

If you respond, you are letting the hacker know that they have found a "live" email or phone number. Then, you may see even more scam attempts.