How to Spot Phishing Online

How to Spot Phishing Online to Prevent Fraud & Keep Your Information Safe

  
Phishing is one of the most common online crime types and affects hundreds of people daily. A report by the FBI stated that the number of successful phishing attacks has nearly doubled from previous years, affecting over 240,000 people in 2020.

The tricky thing about phishing is that it can come in many forms and when you least expect it. Online hackers have found new and innovative ways to try and steal your information. Phishing can come in the form of a text, email, call, alert, social media message, and more.
 

How can you protect yourself from phishing and be sure you are not scammed online?

 
It’s especially important to know the phishing red flags and signs when it comes to your banking and highly personal information.

When you receive a communication that you think could be phishing, it’s best to make sure you proceed with caution and know the major phishing signs, so your information remains safe.

Most phishing messages will contain vague, threatening, or misspelled information, and may be from an unknown number or email address. It’s important to note, however, that scammers can “spoof” familiar numbers or make email addresses appear to be from a trusted source.
 

Some common signs of phishing include:

• – Asking you to confirm your username, account numbers, password, or PIN
• – Requesting your SSN, address, birthday, or other personal information
• – Sharing a “one-time code” or download file and asking you to click the links and fill out the information
• – Misspelled words
• – Scare-tactics, such as threatening to close an account or membership if they do not receive a response
• – Urgency in messages

 
These are just a few red flags that you should be on the lookout for when it comes to phishing and protecting your information. The American Bankers Association (ABA) has some interactive resources to help you learn more about phishing scams. Visit www.BanksNeverAskThat.com 
 

You should never respond to a phishing message, nor use phone numbers provided in suspected phishing messages to verify the authenticity of a message.

 
Instead, if you receive a message you have questions about that appears to be from your bank or another trusted source, use a contact method you know to be legitimate, such as the phone number on your bank statement or on the back of your credit card. Of course, if the message is from Bank of the Bluegrass, you can always stop by any of our three branches in Lexington!

As a local bank with a passion for helping the people in our Lexington community, we pride ourselves on being available quickly if a problem arises with their accounts. You can be confident with Bank of the Bluegrass that we’ll be here for you to answer any questions or concerns you ever have.
 
Make sure you are on the lookout for phishing crimes online, and as always, reach out to us at (859) 233-4500 if you have any questions about your accounts or online safety.