I've Tried That - We lose money so you don't have to!

It’s hard to imagine that despite all the warnings out there, some people are still getting hit by phishing scams. The popularity of these emails tells me that they must be working and as long as people are still getting taken by them, we’ll keep you guys up to date with the latest warnings.

A relatively new site (and soon to be a personal favorite of mine if they keep at it) Login Helper has created a simple flow chart to help you determine whether or not the email you’re reading is a phishing attempt.

In another article, Login Helper listed a few good points on how to identify a phishing attack. Here’s an excerpt…

1. Never click on links in emails. Phishing attacks make use of links to lure users to the fake websites. It is usually not a problem to enter the url manually to visit the site.
2. When in doubt do not react or contact support. There are two options when in doubt if an email is legit. Option one is to not react at all and archive the message while option 2 is to visit the website or service manually to contact the support to find out if the email is legit.
3. Do not open attachments. Email attachments are another form of phishing. Many attackers try to sneak malicious software onto the user’s computer system this way. Contact the sender first (not by replying to that email but by other means). Only open the attachment if the authenticity has been verified this way.
4. Do not use information in questionable emails, e.g. phone numbers or other means of contacting the service or organization as those can be fake as well.

All in all, very good advice for an up and coming new site designed to protect users on the Internet. I suggest you browse around the few articles at Login Helper and spread the word to your less savvy friends and relatives.