Think Before You Click: 6 Signs of a Phishing Scheme
Cybercriminals are relentless in their efforts to scam people out of their money. One of the most commonly used methods is “phishing,” defined by the FBI as “scams designed to trick you into giving information to criminals that they shouldn’t have access to.” In other words, they’re luring you in, hoping you’ll take the bait.
Why is it such a popular scam? Perhaps because it’s working. In the FBI’s most recent Internet Crime Report, phishing was one of the three most common kinds of cybercrime in 2024. In total, the FBI says victims lost more than $16 billion to cybercrime in 2024 – a 33 percent increase over the prior year.
Scammers aren’t going anywhere – so it’s up to all of us to become even more vigilant about recognizing and avoiding phishing scams.
To that end, we’ve compiled six of the most common “red flags” to be on the lookout for in text messages, emails, and online webpages, according to the CISA.gov and FTC.gov. These are all signals that you should not click on any links provided:
- Misspelled URLs and subtle lookalike domains. For example, a website named yourb4nk.com instead of yourbank.com is not to be trusted.
- Generic greetings or vague language. Messages starting with “Dear Customer” or “Dear Account Holder” instead of your real name could signal trouble.
- Urgent or threatening messages. Warnings like “Your account will be suspended immediately” are almost certainly signs of a scam.
- Unexpected requests for sensitive information. Banks will never ask you for account numbers, card numbers, PINs, or personal information. (For more on this, visit Banks Never Ask That, a great resource from the American Bankers Association.)
- Attachments or links you weren’t expecting. Even if the message appears to come from someone you know, attachments can contain malware.
- Links that don’t match the sender’s organization. Hover your cursor over any link – if the preview shows an unrelated website, don’t click it.
In short: think before you click! It can be the difference between keeping your financial information safe or handing it over to a scammer.
Visit the FIBT Education Center for even more tips on staying one step ahead of scammers.