Let’s decipher: phishing

Phishing is a form of scam that takes place on the internet, which consists of deceiving the Internet user into giving up their personal data by pretending to be a trusted third party, and then using it maliciously.

How does it work?

You receive an email that looks like it’s coming from a familiar site: your phone company, your gas/electricity supplier, the tax authorities, the bank, the CAF, etc. This email is either alarmist (you have to pay your unpaid bill or your line will be cut) or a little too exceptional (social security owes you 1,000 euros). The email is rather well done (better and better even) and strongly encourages you to click on a link, which will not send you to the official website but to a copy, on which you will have to leave your personal data (bank account number most often). This information that you think you are giving to the organization, you are actually giving it to scammers who will use these numbers to make purchases on your account, for example.

How can it be avoided?

• Never give out your bank details by email or phone and remember not to give them on any site either… These organizations collect or pay you money on a regular basis, so they already have your bank details!
• When the email you receive seems a little strange, take a closer look: who is the recipient? Is it written in “good French”? Does it contain spelling mistakes? These factors may already be giving you signs.
• Before clicking the action button, hover your mouse cursor over the link, and look at it. Then compare it with the one on the official website.
• If in doubt, don’t hesitate to call the organization to verify the information.

Phishing attempts are on the rise, both in personal and professional settings. So keep your eyes peeled!

Macrovector image on Freepik

Also read:

• Let’s decipher: encryption
• Let’s decipher: private browsing