Phishing is the attempt to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details (and money), often for malicious reasons, by disguising as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.


Here's an example of a phishing email we have received recently from a scam pretending to be PayPal. Without the email client blocking content, the email would probably also have the logo displayed at the bottom of the email that makes the email seem more legitimate. 


Some tips to know if it's a scam email and what to do:

  1. Check the from email address. Is the email on a domain that belongs to the business that the email is claiming to be from. For example, here it says PayPal is emailing me from form@updaters.net . 
  2. They will often not use your actual name in the email. 'Valued User' or 'Customer' or anything unidentified like that indicates that they have your email address but not much else.
  3. DO NOT download any files from the email, regardless if you think it may be legitimate. If you think it might be real - give the provider a call to double check, it's helpful for them to be notified of scams too, so they can better protect their customers. 
  4. If you have accidentally downloaded the file, we suggest turning off your internet access, and running a malware scan to ensure your protection. Contact us if you're not sure how.
  5. Mark the email as spam, and delete it immediately.


If at all in doubt and concerned about your security, give us a call. We are here to help and can walk you through some steps on how to check your computer for any malicious files that could cause you more problems in the future.