Defend yourself against phishing and other online frauds
Phishing and other online frauds are becoming increasingly common. In 2021, Americans lost an estimated $5.8 billion to phishing scams. Phishing is a type of online fraud that attempts to trick people into giving up their personal information, such as their passwords or credit card numbers. Scammers often send phishing emails that look like they are from legitimate companies, such as banks or credit card companies. These emails may contain links to websites that look like the legitimate websites of these companies. However, these websites are actually fake, and they are designed to steal people's personal information.
There are a number of things you can do to protect yourself from phishing and other online frauds. Here are some tips:
- Be wary of emails from unknown senders. Do not click on links or open attachments in emails from people you do not know.
- Look for misspellings or grammatical errors in emails. Phishing emails often contain misspellings or grammatical errors.
- Hover over links in emails before clicking on them. This will show you the URL of the website that the link leads to. If the URL does not match the URL of the company that sent the email, do not click on the link.
- Use strong passwords for all of your online accounts. Use a different password for each account, and make sure your passwords are at least 12 characters long and include a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols.
- Enable two-factor authentication for all of your online accounts. Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your accounts by requiring you to provide a second form of identification, such as a code sent to your phone, when you log in.
- Keep your software up to date. Software updates often include security patches that can help protect your computer from phishing attacks.
- Be aware of the latest phishing scams. The FBI and other law enforcement agencies regularly issue warnings about new phishing scams. Stay informed about these scams so you can protect yourself.
- If you think you have been the victim of a phishing scam, contact your bank or credit card company immediately. You should also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at www.ftc.gov/complaint.
The following laws and regulations in the United States can help protect you from phishing and other online frauds:
- The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 prohibits sending unsolicited commercial emails, including phishing emails.
- The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 requires financial institutions to protect the privacy of their customers' personal information.
- The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives consumers the right to access their credit reports and to dispute inaccurate information.
- The Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998 makes it a crime to steal someone's personal information with the intent to commit fraud.
These laws and regulations can help protect you from phishing and other online frauds. However, it is important to be aware of these scams and to take steps to protect yourself. By following the tips in this article, you can help keep your personal information safe from online fraudsters.
