The latest round of phishing scam is associated with YouTube. A mail asking one to update YouTube account information is actually a scam coming from hackers trying to access your YouTube account.
One should not reply or click on the links that do not appear legitimate; rather it should be forwarded to a support team to look further, the blog added.
Phishing mails, one of the most common methods resorted by hackers, trick the victims into revealing sensitive information by appearing to come from a legitimate source. To distinguish a suspicious mail, it is always advisable to pay closer attention to the sign-in screen as well as the internet address. One should sign in to account only when completely assured that the site is not fake.
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An example of phishing email sent to YouTubers:
Also, one should be wary of any message that seeks personal information like user name, password, and bank account numbers. No legitimate site will ever seek these details and so any such mails should raise your suspicions.
Never reveal any personal information such as social security numbers, PIN codes, full credit card numbers and information related to your security questions.
Never reply to any phishing mails. Report any such incidences; for instance Gmail provides dropdown arrow next to “Reply” to report phishing.
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BBTV reports Google has “Safe Browsing” technology to address phishing problems. Once the “Phishing” alert option is turned on, one of the following messages warns about a possible phishing attack.
- The Website Ahead Contains Malware!- The site you’re trying to visit may install malware on your computer.
- Danger: Malware Ahead!- The web page you’re trying to visit may have malware.
- Reported Phishing Website Ahead! – The site you’re trying to visit is suspected of being a phishing site.
- The site ahead contains harmful programs – The site you’re trying to visit may try to trick you into installing programs that harm your browsing experience.
Norton AntiVirus, a malware prevention solution by Symantec, advises the following guidelines to protect oneself from phishing:
- Be wary of emails asking for confidential information
- Don’t get pressured into providing sensitive information. Phishers like to use scare tactics, and may threaten to disable an account or delay services until you update certain information.
- Familiarize yourself with a Web site’s privacy policy.
- Watch out for generic-looking requests for information.
- Never submit confidential information via forms embedded within email messages.
- Never use links in an email to connect to a Website. Instead, open a new browser window and type the URL directly into the address bar.
- Maintain effective software to combat phishing.