As IT experts, we tend to see some things more commonly than others in the tech space, and one thing we see a lot are common phishing scams.

Almost every company in the U.S. is going to be the target of  common phishing scams probably daily and recognizing them is critical to keeping your data safe and secure.

So, what do you and your employees need to be on the lookout for when it comes to phishing? You might think it should be obvious, but scammers are getting more and more sophisticated and it isn’t always easy to tell.

Here are some common phishing scams:

  1. Phony invoices: This is pretty straightforward. Someone sends you a fake invoice and they want to trick you into paying it. To combat this, simply check your own records before paying.
  2. Asking for account numbers: A common scam is mirroring a legitimate company’s email, asking for your account information. No reputable company would ask for this over email.
  3. Vishing scams: These phone calls might seem like they are legit, but scammers are very sophisticated and use voice email or voice over internet protocol to trick you. The way to find out if they are legit is to hang up and call the company’s official number.
  4. Spear phishing: These scams target specific people in your organization, asking for personal or professional information. If you get an email like this, red flags to be aware of include any urgency, unusual requests, poor grammar/spelling and anything that seems off or unreasonable.

Generally speaking, it is a good idea to avoid clicking links in texts or emails unless you know exactly who the person is who sent it – simply type the address of the site in yourself or google it. Also, watch for unusual language, demands or requests or formatting issues. Many phishing scams are AI generated and you can sometimes spot them with a close review.

AccuNet Inc.

If you have questions about common phishing scams, we can help. Contact us today!