How to Identify a Phishing or Suspicious Email

Here at A M Exclusive, we provide Managed IT Services to small businesses in NYC and Long Island, and even though we have top notch anti-spam e-mail filters in place, unfortunately spam can still get through from time to time. That is why we make it a point to educate our clients on what types of e-mails they should be suspicious of. Below is a quick list of the top 3 things to look for in an email that can determine if it’s spam or not.

Read and look, but never click.

It’s okay to quickly scan over the email in your browser, but never download any documents or click on any links. You can hover your mouse over any links embedded in the body of the email to check the link address. If the link address looks weird, don’t click on it. If you want to test the link, open a new window and type in the website address directly rather than clicking on the link from unsolicited emails.

Pay attention to the subject line, greeting, and signature.

One of the most common phishing tactics is to threaten and invoke a sense of fear. Beware of subject lines that say “Unauthorized Login Attempt” or “Your Account Has Been Suspended.” Also, pay close attention to the greeting line in the body of the email. Is the email addressed to “Valued Customer?” If so, become suspicious of this email because serious businesses would usually use your first and last name in the greeting line. In the signature line, check for lack of details about the signer. Legitimate companies always provide some sort of contact information at the end of emails.

Pay attention to the content of the email.

Check for spelling and grammatical mistakes. Serious companies and brands take emails seriously, so authentic emails wouldn’t usually have any major spelling mistakes. Also, never blindly hand-out personal information, especially if ever prompted to by an email.

Nowadays, phishers are extremely good at what they do. Don’t become a victim -  always be skeptical and vigilant. Never click on any links or open any attachments if you are not expecting a document and tell your coworkers/employees to do that same. While not opening suspicious emails can help protect your business from hackers, investing in a product like AVG Watchguard can help protect you even more.

Here at A M Exclusive, our goal is to provide you with reliable technology solutions that will make your organization more efficient. Since 1985, we have been striving to make our clients’ busy work lives easier though offering the highest quality printer, technology and communications services at the fairest prices. We honor honesty and integrity above all, so if you need your laser printer repaired for any reason, you can be sure to count on us.