{"id":4169,"date":"2021-02-01T10:41:06","date_gmt":"2021-02-01T15:41:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stratospherenetworks.com\/blog\/?p=4169"},"modified":"2021-07-14T09:45:57","modified_gmt":"2021-07-14T14:45:57","slug":"what-to-do-if-you-take-the-bait-for-a-phishing-scam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stratospherenetworks.com\/blog\/what-to-do-if-you-take-the-bait-for-a-phishing-scam\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Do if You Take the Bait for a Phishing Scam"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AnYou check your email one morning and notice a coworker reached out to you asking for the login info for an app you often use. After you send her the username and password, however, you notice that there are a few typos in the message, which is out of character for your colleague. With a sinking feeling in your stomach, you check the sender\u2019s address and realize you\u2019ve fallen for a phishing scam<\/a> and handed some hacker the keys to access your company\u2019s data.<\/p>\n

Now what?<\/p>\n

Luckily, if you do get tricked into disclosing private information, you can take immediate action to minimize the damage. If you take the bait for a phishing scam, here\u2019s what you should do to ensure the best possible outcome for yourself and your company.<\/p>\n

5 Steps to Take ASAP if You Fall for a Phishing Scam<\/h2>\n

If you clicked a link, downloaded an attachment or otherwise got tricked by a malicious message, here\u2019s what to do next.<\/p>\n

1. If you\u2019re using your work laptop or PC, contact your IT department immediately. <\/strong>The sooner you notify them, the faster they can act to remedy the situation, according to the Money article \u201cHow to Spot a Phishing Email (and What to Do if You Took the Bait)<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Change your password for your email and all other online accounts. <\/strong>Be sure to create a strong and unique password<\/a> for each account, Norton advises<\/a>. To keep track of them all, we suggest utilizing a password manager<\/a>.<\/p>\n

3. Run a scan on your machine with current anti-virus software.<\/strong> This applies if you clicked on a malicious link or downloaded an attachment that might have contained malware, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

4. Visit <\/strong>IdentityTheft.gov<\/strong><\/a> if you gave out info like your bank account details or credit card number. <\/strong>The FTC advises following the instructions on this website to combat potential identity theft.<\/p>\n

5. Report the scam. <\/strong>The FTC suggests reporting the email at ftc.gov\/complaint<\/a> and forwarding it to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How to Spot Phishing Scams and Avoid Getting Snared<\/h2>\n

Phishing is one of hackers\u2019 favorite tactics, and they keep refining their technique. The pandemic has also led to a flood of COVID-19-related phishing attempts<\/a>: In April 2020, Google\u2019s Threat Analysis Group (TAG)<\/a> reported identifying 18 million malware and phishing Gmail messages daily with coronavirus themes.<\/p>\n

As a result, odds are good that email scams will continue to land in your inbox occasionally. Getting tricked by these deceptive messages is a common issue: Nearly 3 in 10 full-time office workers around the world included in a June 2020 survey said they\u2019d fallen for a phishing scam or clicked a phishing link during the previous year, according to the report \u201cCOVID-19 Clicks: How Phishing Capitalized on a Global Crisis<\/a>\u201d from Carbonite and Webroot.\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/strong>
\nHere are some signs that you\u2019re dealing with a phishing attempt, according to the FTC:<\/p>\n