Recognizing and Avoiding the Most Common Scams
When it comes to cybersecurity, FIT uses a proactive approach for clients. The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is especially true for protecting a company’s digital assets. We host regular Cybersecurity Awareness training sessions with our clients to help protect their confidential information.
FIT Technologies Chief Strategy Officer Fred Franks led two sessions at Vocon, an award-winning architecture and design company with offices in Cleveland and New York and a FIT client for over a decade.
A term that Fred emphasizes is “Social Engineering.” Social engineering scams attempt to manipulate people into revealing confidential information or taking actions that give the criminal access to a system, computer, or other device. There are five major categories that everyone should know to protect themselves:
Phishing
A leading ransomware tactic – an email, chat message, or website designed to impersonate a real system or organization. It often uses a familiar logo and branding plus a sense of urgency to push quick action.
Baiting
An enticing offer such as a free download, discount, or branded flash drive that promises value in exchange for private data. Once this information is provided, malicious software installs on the device.
Quid Pro Quo
A scammer requests private data – for instance, someone claiming to be from Microsoft or Google offers “free” tech support in exchange for your username and password.
Pretexting
A scammer poses as a trusted authority, like a supervisor, and requests actions such as purchasing gift cards and sending the activation codes.
Tailgating
An unauthorized person follows an employee into a restricted area without credentials.
Director of Architecture John Workley, who has been with Vocon for 20 years, noted that in the business world there’s always a sense of urgency, that everything needs to be done yesterday. But that mentality can cause mistakes with cybersecurity. The training from FIT reminds staff to take a beat and think before clicking on a link or typing a password, he said. He also appreciated the wide range of topics FIT’s presentation covered.
“It’s more than only worrying about a weird or suspicious email,” Workley said. He added that FIT’s dedicated onsite technician provides a level of consistency that makes the always-changing world of technology a lot more manageable.
As professionals, we must help combat these threats to a company’s cybersecurity by using patience and common sense.
Top Ways to Spot a Scam
- Carefully read the website or email. If you notice misspellings, overly formal language, odd greetings, or multiple typefaces, they may be fraudulent.
- Hover over a link or email address before clicking it. If the actual destination differs from the displayed text, do not click the link.
- Reach out to the contact through another method. For example, if your boss makes an unusual request to transfer money via email, always call or text them to verify the request.
- Use a verification website, such as isitphishing.org, to check if the link is legitimate.
- Remember to check with your IT department. If you aren’t sure if a message or website is legitimate, alert them to verify its authenticity.
Cybersecurity may be intimidating, but a few simple precautions can prevent major issues.
Want to have FIT’s Cybersecurity experts protecting you? Contact us to learn more
