Protecting Your Inbox: A Guide to Email (And Texting) Safety
Email and texting are essential tools for communication. When using either, it's crucial to safeguard both personal and professional information. Phishing scams continue to pose a significant threat, with scammers constantly devising new ways to deceive recipients.
Here are some essential tips to ensure your email safety:
Verify Sender Identities
Before clicking on any link or downloading attachments, double-check the sender's email address or phone number. Be cautious if it appears suspicious or unfamiliar. If you do not know the sender’s identity, do not click any link—including “Unsubscribe”.
Often phishing emails and texts will tell as story that will make you want to click on a link or open an attachment to get the rest of the story. It may even look quite convincing, as if from a regularly used website or bank.
Signs that something is a scam can include a generic greeting, misspelled or unusual email addresses, or requests for information that the company would not ask for via email or text.
Beware of Urgency
Scammers often use urgency to manipulate recipients. Think twice before acting quickly on emails or texts that demand immediate action or claim dire consequences. If your boss is emailing you with an odd request, such as purchasing gift cards for them immediately, consider strongly whether or not the request is one your boss would make of you.
Use Strong Passwords
Ensure your email account is protected with a strong, unique password, and enable two-factor authentication for an added layer of security. When creating a new password for a new account, remember that the password should be unique, meaning not used as a password for a different account.
Protect your computer with updated security software.
Adding security software to your computer can help in preventing phishing and scam attacks from breaking through. Set your computer settings to update that security software automatically. That way, if the company updates its systems to prevent newer attacks, you’ll still be protected.
Protect your phone with regular updates.
Similarly to the security software updates, phone makers provide regular updates to their software to protect users’ data. Having an out-of-date software version can make you more vulnerable to attacks.
The above recommendations are a good start to email and texting safety. Learn more about how to recognize and avoid phishing scams and keep up to date on current practices by checking in on the FTC website designed for consumers for Online Privacy and Security. By following these email safety practices, you can help protect yourself as well as your workplace from phishing scams.