Phishing emails are usually unexpected, unsolicited, yet appear legitimate. Every day, scam artists, fraudsters and criminals try to gain access to our personal information to compromise our bank accounts, financial resources, or even to steal our identities. Don't let them!
Knowledge is key. So be aware that legitimate companies have policies in place that protect customers' personal information. They rarely ask for personal information via email.
So, if you're not confident an email is legit, do not take either of the following actions:
- Provide personal information in an email, like:
- credit card numbers
- online banking passwords
- other personal identifying facts (for example, dates of birth, telephone numbers)
- Select links embedded in the email, or open any attachments.