What is phishing? Phishing is when a fraudster pretends to be someone you trust to steal information from you.

3 Things to know about phishing

• A fraudster often use tax season, holidays, and unexpected events to target individuals.
• Fraudsters will appeal to your best intentions and worst fears. In some cases pretending to be charities or lying about a family member’s health.
• Phishing attempts do not just stop at people, fraudsters can also target companies and organizations.

5 Ways to spot a phishing email

• The email shows a sense of emergency in attempt to make one click without thinking.
• Claims there is a problem with an account or payment information.
• May have a generic greeting such as “Hello” or “Dearest friend”.
• Asks to make a payment or includes a fake invoice.
• The email is poorly written and/or the email address does not look legitimate.

For additional tips and more information, please visit https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams