How to Protect Yourself from a Phishing Scam

Imagine this: You're in line for your morning coffee, and your phone erupts with alerts – texts, emails, a missed call, all seemingly from your bank, flagging suspicious activities on your account and urging immediate action. But something feels off. In today's digital world, where cyber threats lurk in every corner, your intuition might be saving you from a sophisticated scam.

In the wake of a dramatic increase in social engineering attacks like phishing, vishing, or smishing scams, skepticism is your best ally. According to the Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report, a staggering 74% of data breaches involve human error, predominantly from phishing. The impact is substantial: Canadian victims lost over CAD 67 million to these deceptions, as reported by the FBI’s Internet Crime Report.

Navigating the Deceptive Waters of Phishing Scams

Imagine a typical phishing email - it alerts you of suspicious activities and pressures you to divulge personal information to 'unlock' your account. Fall for it, and you've just handed the keys to your financial kingdom to a scammer. Smishing, its devious cousin, plays the same game via text messages.

Here's the golden rule: Genuine institutions never ask for sensitive details via email or text. If such a request pops up, it’s a red flag. Delete it immediately. Financial entities might freeze accounts due to suspicious activities, but they'll guide you to securely log into your online account for verification, not ask for your credentials outright.

Empower Yourself Against Cyber Deceit

1. Verify, then Trust: Upon receiving suspicious messages about account activities, resist clicking on any links or calling the numbers provided. Instead, directly visit the official website or use the number on your bank or credit card.
2. Do Not Call Registry: Register your number to avoid unsolicited, potentially fraudulent calls.
3. Spam Filters: Set your email to filter out potential phishing attempts.
4. Link Awareness: Before clicking, hover over links to ensure they lead where they claim.
5. Vishing Vigilance: Be wary of voice phishing where scammers impersonate authority figures. In 2022, 1 in 5 Canadians fell victim to such impostor scams.

InfoDefender: Your Digital Guardian Angel

In the digital era where your identity is as valuable as your wallet, InfoDefender emerges as your steadfast protector. We don't just monitor your identity and credit; we empower you with cutting-edge knowledge and tools to shield yourself in the cyber world. From real-time alerts to comprehensive monitoring, InfoDefender is the sentinel you need against the unseen threats of the internet.