Fishing vs. Phishing
What is Phishing ?
Fishing is, for some, a pleasurable activity consisting of a rod, a reel, some bait, a body of water and fish. Sometimes people use a boat when they go fishing, sometimes they fish off a pier or on the beach.
Phishing is something nefarious. It’s when cyber criminals figuratively throw a line into the water we call the internet, and phish for data.
According to the FTC Website:
“Phishing is when a scammer uses fraudulent emails or texts, or copycat websites to get you to share valuable personal information – such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, or your login IDs and passwords. Scammers use your information to steal your money or your identity or both.
Scammers also use phishing emails to get access to your computer or network then they install programs like ransomware that can lock you out of important files on your computer.
Phishing scammers lure their targets into a false sense of security by spoofing the familiar, trusted logos of established, legitimate companies. Or they pretend to be a friend or family member.
Phishing scammers make it seem like they need your information or someone else’s, quickly – or something bad will happen. They might say your account will be frozen, you’ll fail to get a tax refund, your boss will get mad, even that a family member will be hurt or you could be arrested. They tell lies to get to you to give them information.”
Unlike the type of fishing some of us enjoy out on the water, Phishing is dangerous. If the Phisher is successful and convinces you to give them information, it could cause all manner of problems.
Check back for our next blog posts where we talk more about the subject of Phishing and Ransomware.
Your Tech Guys