Sophisticated phishing emails are behind almost 90% of all cyberattacks. A few tips and tricks can be the difference between spotting a phony email and getting played. In a multi-part series, we'll look at various emails and try to add some tools to our "spotting phishing emails" toolkit. For instance, let's breakdown a sketchy email from "L Willis"
Oh no! A meeting is getting called immediately for something regarding the Board. This sounds intense!
Exactly. This is a scam email, and let's break down a few things you can do to spot it.
Item 1) Almost any email from Notre Dame will feature a full name (in this case, either Liz Willis or Dr. Liz Willis). The name should raise some flags.
Item 2) Phishing emails love immediacy. Something needs to get done right now, or in a very short time. The adding of urgency subconsciously puts the reader in problem-solving mode, leaving them unaware they're possibly being scammed.
Item 3) How often are you receiving Board Meeting emails? If the topic seems really irrelevant to you, it's likely a scammer trying to add some legitimacy to the email. Seeing something like a Board meeting makes the email seem more "official" or "serious".
Item 4) (My personal fave) Before clicking on any link, hover your mouse over the link but do not click. The URL will preview below. If the link looks sketchy (for instance— incredibly long and doesn't even mention Zoom), it's likely a scam.
