How to spot and avoid phishing scams

Have you ever received an email or text that just didn’t seem right? Maybe it was addressed to you and supposedly from a company you knew, but something felt a little off? It may have been a phishing scam.

Phishing happens when fraudsters try to trick you into sharing personal information like passwords or credit card data. These scammers may try to get you to click a link for what you think is a legitimate business or offer. Then, they hope you’ll enter your information on their fake website, which oftentimes match the look of the legitimate website. The link may also download malicious software that could harm your computer and steal information stored on it. Once fraudsters have your information, they may use it to try to get into your existing accounts or open new accounts in your name.

If you’ve clicked on a link you suspect was fraudulent, don’t be embarrassed. Scammers continue finding new ways to trick even the savviest among us. If you think you’ve given a scammer your information by accident, go to identitytheft.gov for specific steps to start your recovery from identity theft.

 

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