Phishing, not to be confused with a pleasant afternoon at the lake’s shore, is a very clever way of getting information from an unsuspecting person via his or her email. The victim receives an appealing Call to Action within an email, responds to it, and with that opens up the henhouse for the fox to come in. An expert phisher can do an awful lot of damage. If you are a small or medium size business owner, you may think this has nothing to do with you. You are wrong if you believe that your company is not exposed to phishing email scams.
Entrepreneurs, in particular, are in danger. Your employees are not trying to destroy your business, but an innocent attempt to gather information which can help productivity can end in disaster. And once inside the company’s computer network, a phisher has access to corporate data, including customer and client information. Something as innocent as an email will easily turn into a full-scale raid. You and your employees have to be aware of the danger signals.
Beware of the Call to Action
The call to action is the means by which most victims are snared. Individuals are usually asked for assistance, and the wording is made to sound like it is a serious emergency. A small company is lured into a trap by email that hints of supposedly trendsetting information, the kind that can push you ahead of your competition. The promise of securing new business may be used, and the ability to get needed financing may be in the language. All of it is a hoax.
Immediate Deadlines
A phishing expedition which is targeted towards a small company will include information that is appealing to the business, but at the same time includes a deadline that may be in the next two days. The idea is to create a sense of urgency and persuade the unsuspecting victim to click on that all-important link. The hint of adverse consequences for not immediately replying further pressures the reader.
Use of Very Professional Language
Most employees are aware of the frantic request for money from Nigeria or the banking opportunities from Ghana. They can laugh these off, but if an email comes forward sounding very professional, with what looks to be the name of a reputable corporation, it is possible to be trapped. The same is true if the email pretends to be from a government agency such as the SEC. Hovering the cursor over the link will uncover if it is a fraud, but most victims don’t know to do that.
Phishing Email Scams can be Avoided.
These menaces to your corporate security can be avoided. There are in the text of these scam messages a few warning signs.
4 BIG Warning Signs that Your Email is a Hoax
- Poor spelling or grammar;
- Embedded links whose address does not match the real link (when you hover over the link in the email, you’ll find the real address.)
- Double checking the name of the company or government agency. This just takes a Google search to discover.
- Slightly altered titles of nationally recognized entities (e.g. An acronym is used such as SBA, but in the text below the link it is shown not referring to Small Business Administration but something such as the Small Business Administrators.)
Enstep Technology Helps Fight Email Phishing Scams
A small business does not always have a good security network, which can stop these devious emails. Something more than just a spam box is important to any company that is starting to grow. It may include security or effective email management administration. Enstep Technology Solutions can provide the kind of help needed, and it is easy to establish.
We provide assistance to small and medium-size businesses in Houston, helping them to combat phishing. We can provide the kind of advice needed to set up the right security, and also educate employees of the dangers of phishing emails. Enstep performs all services efficiently, saving time and money. The small company has to be very careful about any possible attempt to steal its proprietary information. If you are concerned about email security, contact us – we can help you establish the right type of defense against phishing email invasion.
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