Q: I got an email that looks legitimate, but I’m not sure. How do I check?
A: You’re right to take a step back. Email has become the most popular method of hacking individual computers—because most people use email and usually aren’t as vigilant as they need to
be.
‘Phishing’ is an attempt to steal your personal information by posing as a trusted source (a friend, your bank–like that). Why is it so popular with crooks? Because it works.
As an educator, you want to teach students how to protect themselves as soon as they start using open email networks. Here are six suggestions:
- Don’t open attachments.
- Don’t click links in
emails.
- Check the email address of the sender. Does it match the name? Does it fit the sender?
- Check for misspellings and mis-phrasings.
- If you know the sender, does the email sound like their communication style?
- Hover over the link to see the address. If it doesn’t match the text or look legitimate, don’t click.
- Don’t hesitate to email
the sender and ask if they sent you the email.
Got those? Click for a few more.
