Protect yourself from phishing

Phishing is a common internet scam that uses official-looking email messages and websites to trick you into sharing personal information or paying money. Criminals use this kind of scam to commit identity theft and fraud.

How to identify a phishing attempt
How to report phishing
What to do if you fall prey to phishing

How to identify a phishing attempt

Be on the lookout for any email or website that asks for personal information, and watch for these red flags before sharing any information electronically.

  • Mistakes in grammar or spelling. Real organizations do mess up once in a while, but if the message is so full of errors your elementary school teacher wouldn't accept it, it's likely a scam.

  • Fishy to/from address. If the sender claims to be an official company, check the "From" address. If the email comes from a random gmail account or is misspelled or odd, then something's afoot. Pay attention to the "To" field as well. Is your specific email address listed? If not, the message could be a phishing attempt.

  • No personal information in the email. Most legitimate institutions have your information on file and will address you by name. An email that begins with "Dear Valued Customer" is not always a scam, but should be looked at more closely. At the same time, keep in mind that phishers can mine public records and social networking sites for personal details, so don't assume a message is safe just because it contains your name.

  • Requests for personal information. Sensitive information such as passwords, bank account numbers, and social security numbers should NEVER be sent via email. Quantum Fiber would never ask for personal or financial information by email, and neither would your bank or other legitimate companies you do business with.

How to report phishing

If you receive a phishing email in your Quantum Fiber email inbox, mark it as spam, and block the sender.

 

You can also report suspected phishing emails to:

Don't forward it!

When reporting a suspected phishing email, don't forward the original email to someone else. You could be flagged as a spammer yourself, or could cause other unintended problems.

What to do if you fall prey to phishing

You aren't alone. These criminals are smart and tricky. If you've fallen victim to a phishing scam, file a report with the Federal Trade Commission or call their hotline at 877-438-4338.

If you are a victim of identity theft, you can minimize the potential damage. For more information go to the Federal Trade Commission.

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