In a digital world where security is paramount, we are still seeing instances of phishing attacks that are not only becoming more common but also becoming more consistent and advanced as time goes by. In such a situation, you have to protect yourself, and while it might not be the easiest thing to do, if you are careful, you will be surprised just how much damage you can prevent.
Follow this guide and protect yourself from phishing attacks
Now, phishing attacks are nothing new. They have been around for as long as I can remember. Over the past couple of years, I have seen these attacks become increasingly elaborate. The first step to protecting yourself from phishing attacks is to identify them because no matter how advanced these attacks are, there is always a give. Below are some of the key indicators that might tell you that you are being phished by scammers:
- Messages telling you that there is some suspicious activity in your account
- Messages telling you that there are issues with your account or payment information that you use
- Messages asking you to confirm some personal details
- Messages asking you to confirm personal details, including details you use for your bank accounts
- Messages containing an invoice
The aforementioned list is just a small list of what phishing attacks can look like. In case you receive such a message, always look at the sender before acting on it because the sender's address is always suspicious. If it gives you a feeling that there is something off, simply delete the message or ignore it. Remember, the best way to protect yourself from a phishing attack is by being vigilant.
Sadly, due to the complexity and frequency of these phishing attacks, sometimes being vigilant is not enough, and you have to go the extra mile to protect yourself. Although there is not a single one-shoe-fits-all approach here, we are still going to look at some tried-and-tested methods that will add a layer of security.
1- Using Two-Factor Authentication
Now, this is something that I always recommend people to do, no matter what account they are using. Almost all the apps feature a two-factor authentication, and it always offers another layer of security by ensuring that you have multiple ways of verifying that the person logging into your device is you. Does this method 100% protect you from phishing attacks? I am afraid that is not the case because I have seen several instances where even 2FA failed, but for the most part, it gets the job done, and even if it is not completely attack-proof, it is still better that you have this enabled.
2- Being Vigilant
I cannot stress this enough; another thing that I would always suggest everyone do if they want to protect themselves from phishing attacks is to be vigilant. Now, the easiest way to do this is to be on the watch of emails or messages that you receive. Always check whether or not the email address or the message address/number is something that you recognize. Companies who send you emails or messages have their addresses that you can look up with ease. The moment you feel like you are in doubt, simply avoid that message or email because you are likely being phished.
Another way these phishing attacks work is that sometimes, you receive messages or emails from services that you don't really use. Now, I don't have Amazon Prime, but I once received a number of emails from Amazon Prime about some activity on my account. That is a dead giveaway that you are being targeted, and the best way to protect yourself from such phishing attacks is to ignore it completely.
3- Avoid Untrusted Websites
If you really want to protect yourself from phishing attacks, the one thing that I would always insist on is that you should avoid untrusted websites. These websites have a way of getting your information, and once your information is available, the attacks might never stop. The internet is a fascinating and dangerous place, and if you are looking to protect yourself from things going wrong and your information being stolen, the best thing that you can do is visit websites that you trust and only use secure internet connections.
4- Protect Your Devices
Now, this might sound like something that makes no difference, but it is always important that you keep yourself protected by having your devices up to date. Install the latest updates, and make sure all the device protection measures are turned on. These might not seem much initially, but security updates always help against phishing attacks.
Now, I have to mention that this is not a foolproof guide to protecting yourself against phishing attacks, but it can work in your favor. So, the next time you are thinking of ways to protect yourself from such instances, I can tell you that, in most cases, this guide will make for a solid starting point of protection.
