Have You Been Fooled by a Spoofed Email Scam?
If you have fallen prey to a spoofed email scam, don't feel too bad. Some of the most experienced and savvy computer users are fooled because the spoofed emails are sophisticated and authentic looking.
What exactly is a spoofed email scam? According to the Houston Chronicle, spoofed emails appear like they came from a particular company or person, so the recipient thinks they're real. The recipient is usually urged to click on a link under the guise of protecting their bank account or other similar lies, and then malware or a trojan downloads to their computer.
Other spoofed emails look like they came from a particular company, but say something that organization would never actually say because the sender wants to make them look bad, or start rumors about the health of their organization for instance.
Senders use replicas of company logos and often change the domain name slightly so if a recipient only glances at it, they may not notice that it's not actually from Amazon for example. It's shockingly easy to spoof an email according to Lifehacker because one would only need an email server and the proper software.
The Huffington Post lists some ways to help protect yourself from falling prey to spoofed emails:
Use the best spam filters you can and when you think an email ends up in your spam filter by accident check it out very carefully.
Don't click on unexpected links or download anything that is unfamiliar. Keep in mind that if your bank genuinely thought your account was compromised, they would ask you to call them, not click on a link in an email.
When in doubt double-check the email header carefully to check for proper domain names, email addresses, and IP addresses.
If you would like further information and help with keeping your company and your employees from becoming victims of spoofed email scams contact us today.
