Beware of Phishing Attempts
Recognizing phishing attempts is not always easy to do since it is usually carried over by email messages which may look as if they were coming from the trustworthy source itself. Email messages will closely and quite often entirely resemble the real ones, thus making it almost impossible to tell the difference.
Phishing websites might also ask you to download and install malicious software.
Common Phishing Techniques
Email messaging is just one of the ways of promoting fake websites.
Criminals can also use social networks, instant messaging systems and even other credible websites to promote their malicious projects.
The easiest way to spot a phishing attempt is to look at the links themselves and see where they lead. They will appear normal on the outside (the hyperlinked text itself), but they will not be the same once you go to them. You do not have to click a link in order to see where it goes, you just need to hover your mouse over it and take a look at the URL address that will appear at the bottom of your browser. If you can see even a slightest change such as www.address1.com instead of www.address.com, do not click it. This is the most common phishing technique.
You should also look for spelling and grammar mistakes as a signal of warning. This does not necessarily mean that the email is fake, but there is a good chance since sending out a poorly written email is not something that big companies would normally do.
Watch out for fake alerts and threats that are very common on social networks. Never respond to any of them even if they come from someone you know. Your account will not be closed if you do not respond to a message or download something. Do not click any links. Warn your friends and move on.
AntiPhishing Software
Most modern browsers include anti-phishing capabilities, but this doesn't mean that you shouldn't be on alert every time you are about to click a link that might lead you to a location which might prompt you to enter sensitive data of any type. Check the addresses before it's too late.
Apart from updating your internet browser, you should also protect yourself by purchasing and installing an internet security suite. This will also provide you with additional anti-phishing protection. These modules alone are worth the cost. Imagine how much damage scammers could inflict upon you if they only knew everything they absolutely shouldn't know about you.
How to Report Phishing Attempts
The first thing to do when reporting phishing attempts would be to notify the website in question itself. They will most likely take action against the offenders very quickly.
You can report phishing attempts at the following addresses:
www.us-cert.gov/nav/report_phishing.html
www.antiphishing.org/report_phishing.html
To learn more about how to report scams effectively, please read:
www.consumerfraudreporting.org/reporting.php