Impersonation scam
With
so much data now shared online it can be easy for these criminals to find all
the information they need to convince their victim that they’re someone else.
They could know your name, workplace, phone number, email address and even who
you work with, making their scams seem all the more convincing.
They might ask you to purchase
something for them with your own money like gift cards, click a suspicious link
with hidden malware or share some confidential and sensitive information. All
of these actions could potentially lead to significant financial loss, business
downtime, reputational damage and even business closure.
Fortunately, there are ways to identify an impersonation scam and protect yourself and your business from falling victim to one. Watch the video or read through our top tips below to learn how:
1. Look for spelling and grammar mistakes
If you notice any typos or
sentences that don’t make sense, this is a red flag and could indicate the
message is a scam. Equally, if the font and colours don’t match the brand this
is also a strong sign you have received a scam text or email.
2. Check where the message has come from
Hackers can create email addresses
and phone numbers that look very similar to legitimate ones. It could be as
similar as ‘ceo@companyname.co.uk’ instead of ‘ceo@company-name.co.uk’. It’s
important to always take a close look and if you’re still not sure it’s
legitimate, check it against your company address book or with the company the
message has supposedly come from.
3. Don’t click suspicious links or attachments
If you are getting red flags from
the message and have any doubts about its authenticity do not click on any of
the links or attachments. You can always double check with someone else or
search for the legitimate website online before trying to sign in.
4. Don’t rush
It can be easy to feel pressured
to act quickly when you think you have received a message from an authority
figure. Impersonation scams are designed to make the victim panic and if you
panic, it’s easy to make mistakes. However, nothing is so urgent that you can’t
take the steps to make sure the message is authentic so remember to stay calm
and look out for any warning signs.
5. Keep your anti-virus and email security up to date
By keeping your anti-virus and
security software up to date, your devices will be better protected from
attacks. Some cyber security solutions like our Complete
Email Security for Microsoft 365 use advanced technology to
detect and protect users from some of the most sophisticated phishing attacks.