Nowadays, to keep your personal information safe, it's imperative to know what steps to take when you receive an email that seems skeptical. But what about knowing what you should NOT do when you receive a suspicious email? Here are some key points to remember next time you receive an email that makes you feel unsure.
Do Not Act On the Email
When receiving a suspicious email, you may notice that it's prompting you to take action on something. This call to action could be in the form of:
- "Click the link below to claim your prize!"
- "To receive your payment, please verify your Social Security number."
- "See the attached image."
If you did not know the sender and expect to receive their email, do not click. You could save yourself a great deal of trouble.
Do Not Reply for Verification
If you received an email from a sender that you do not recognize, you might be tempted to put on your detective hat and investigate who they are. Stop right there! You are putting yourself at greater risk to the hacker on the other end by replying to the email.
Do Not Forward It to Someone Else
When you feel you've received a suspicious email, it's common to want to forward it to someone else to get their thoughts. Hold that click! Forwarding along to someone else gives hackers the advantage by spreading the threat to even more users. Before you consult anyone else about the email, trust yourself.
Do Not Click on Anything Within the Email
Within a phishing email, the cybercriminal may have included links or attached images in hopes that you'll click and put yourself at risk. Don't give cybercriminals the upper hand! Before you click, stop for a moment, and think about what you've already learned about suspicious emails. As the saying goes, "It's better to be safe than sorry."
Do Not Mark It as Spam
Speaking of phishing, do you know the difference between spam and phishing? Spam emails are often unwanted or an abundance of sales emails enticing you to buy something. Phishing emails are malicious ways to get your personal information.
So, before you want to mark an email as spam, consider marking it as a phishing attempt instead! When marking an email as spam, you only move the email and all others from that sender into a separate folder. That only hides the problem! By marking the email as a phishing attempt, you are working to resolve the problem.
Don't Let Your Guard Down
It's best to learn what to watch out for to keep yourself and your confidential information safe. If you feel that there is a reason to think an email is suspicious, trust your gut. Don't let your guard down, and you'll be cyber safe!
