Sadly, Covid-19 is just another reason for hackers to ramp up email phishing schemes. It's almost impossible to keep up with them all. From time to time, we will look at various types of email phishing schemes to help you recognize them and safely deal with them.

If you are not familiar with the term, PHISHING it is the use of an email sent to a lists of email addresses enticing recipients to click on an attached file or a web link. If you click on that file, it could launch a virus, imbed tracking (spy) software or launch ransomware.

Let's take a look at a typical phishing scam that may put your personal information and your identity at risk. This example has so many errors in it that it provides a great way to emphasize what to look for. However, many phishing emails are very subtle and can get past even the best trained eye.

STEPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM BEING A VICTIM Every time you receive an email with an attachment (file) or a web link from someone you don’t know, check it for suspicious information. Here are some things to scrutinize:

1. Sender Email is not consistent with the Sender’s Name.
2. Sender Email is not listed or the email is something other than your email address.
3. The Subject Title Line has typo’s in them or is inconsistent with the Sender Email.
4. There is no Send Date or it says “None”.
5. Files are attached and the file icons are obscured (tempting you to click on them) or a web link is emphasized (enticing you to click on it).

OUR ADVICE
Never open an attachment or click on a link in any suspicious messages. When you suspect a phishing email, block it so your email manager will recognize it and move it to Junk, Quarantine or delete folder. Your email manager like Gmail, Outlook, MS-Mail, iOS Mail or other mail services have the ability to block email by email address.

Delete the emails in your junk or quarantine folder daily.