Stay Safe with Software Updates
Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a great reminder to update our devices and software regularly. When we delay software updates, we risk exposing our...
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a perfect time to raise awareness about phishing attacks and how to protect yourself from these deceptive schemes. Phishing scams often disguise themselves as emails, messages, or links from a trustworthy source. Their goal? To trick you into revealing sensitive information or infecting your device with malware. Here’s a straightforward guide on recognizing, resisting, and reporting phishing attempts, inspired by insights from CISA’s Secure Our World campaign.
1. Recognize the Common Signs
Phishing attempts often employ tactics to make you act quickly and without thinking. Here are a few telltale signs:
2. Resist and Report
If you receive a message that looks suspicious, don’t respond. Instead:
3. Delete and Move On
Once you’ve reported a phishing attempt, delete the message. Do not click on any links, attachments, or even an "unsubscribe" link, as these can lead to phishing sites or confirm to scammers that your email is active. Just delete.
If something about a message feels off, trust your instincts, it’s likely a phishing attempt. But if there’s a chance it’s legitimate, avoid clicking any links or calling any numbers in the message itself. Instead, try these safer ways to verify:
General
You can report various forms of cybercrime to the following agencies:
CISA: cisa.gov/report FBI: ic3.gov
Hacked Account
Report your hacked account to the respective platform’s support team. Here’s where to turn if you have an account with one of these popular websites and you think its been hacked:
Ransomware
Contact local law enforcement, including:
Identity Theft
Report identity theft to:
FTC: identitytheft.gov
You can also report to:
ID Theft Resource Center: idtheftcenter.org or call 888.400.5530
Tax-Related Cybercrime
Report tax-related phishing messages or calls to the IRS via email: phishing@irs.gov
More about tax fraud: https://www.irs.gov/help/tax-scams/report-a-tax-scam-or-fraud
Credit Card Fraud
Report credit card fraud to your credit card company or use the FTC’s fraud, scam, and bad business reporting tool: reportfraud.ftc.gov
Elder Fraud
If you or someone you know has been the victim of elder fraud, contact the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Elder Fraud Hotline 833.372.8311.
Social Security Fraud
Notify the Social Security Administration if you suspect any fraudulent activities related to your social security number: ssa.gov/fraud or call: 800.269.0271.
Business Email Compromise
Report spoofed business-related emails or scams to your organization’s IT department and the FBI at: ic3.gov.
Online Stalking
If you believe you are being stalked or are a victim of stalkerware, call, chat, or text the National Domestic Violence Hotline:
Cyberbullying
Report cyberbullying to the platform where the bullying occurred or to your child’s school.
Report to local law enforcement if there have been threats of violence, stalking or hate crimes at: stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/how-to-report
Phishing
Report suspicious emails to your email platform and then delete it. Or you can also report to:
Phishing attacks are increasingly sophisticated, but following these steps can greatly reduce your risk. Share these tips with family and friends to help keep them safe online. Together, we can build a more cyber-secure community.
For more information, visit CISA’s Secure Our World page.
Teknologize is a SOC 2 certified, Professional Technology Services company with clients throughout the Pacific Northwest. We have offices located in:
Questions about your IT or Cybersecurity? Give us a call today!
Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a great reminder to update our devices and software regularly. When we delay software updates, we risk exposing our...
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a perfect time to raise awareness about phishing attacks and how to protect yourself from these deceptive...
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