You receive a lot of
What would you do if you:
- Receive an unexpected email from someone you know, but it’s suspiciously short or impersonal? (And it says you should click a link or download a file.)
- Receive an email from a stranger with urgent wording that is meant to appeal to your emotions or scare you? (And it says you should click a link or download a file.)
- Receive an unexpected email from an organization you bank with or receive services from and it urgently encourages you to click a link (to change a password or provide personal information) or download a file?
If your answer was “Click the link or download the file,” please call your tech-hero IMMEDIATELY.
As a tech-hero, it is my job to equip and defend my tech-users and the organization at large. I can’t be everywhere at once. I depend on my users to remain on guard, and aware when they encounter suspicious emails. Clicking the link (or downloading a file) from a suspicious email can have terrible repercussions, such as:
- Downloading a computer virus
- Hijacking your email account for malicious purposes
- Stealing important personal information (your password, credit card numbers, details about your bank account or identity)
- Stealing important corporate information (email lists, passwords, sensitive data)
How do you prevent this issue? Well, if you encounter a suspicious email, definitely do not click the link. Instead:
- Contact the person (if you know them) and ask if they intended to send this email to you. (Note: If their email address was hijacked, it is possible the mal-intender will respond as them.)
- Hover over the email address. Does it look goofy? If so, it’s likely a fake account.
- Hover over the link (don’t click it). Does the link address look strange? Is it pointing to an unexpected website, or is the website misspelled?
- If the email is for your bank or another known corporate website, contact their support line or type the website in your browser before logging in. (Don’t click the email link.)
In short: Don’t click the link. Just don’t do it. Unless you were expecting the file or the link, and you’ve talked to the sender, and you’re 100% sure that the link is safe, you’re better off not knowing where it will lead.