--- title: "How To Become Cyber Savvy And Protect Yourself from Phishing | Phish Protection" description: "How To Become Cyber Savvy And Protect Yourself from Phishing Find out how to protect yourself from phishing. We explore what is phishing, the different t" image: "https://phishprotection.com/images/og-default.png" canonical: "https://phishprotection.com/protect-yourself-from-phishing/" --- # How To Become Cyber Savvy And Protect Yourself from Phishing ## How To Become Cyber Savvy And Protect Yourself from Phishing ### Find out how to protect yourself from phishing. We explore what is phishing, the different types of phishing attacks, and how to avoid them. [Free Trial](https://portal.duocircle.com/cart.php?a=add&pid=101&brand=phishprotection) ``` ###### [SECURITY RESOURCES](/resources/) ``` ### [PLANS AND PRICING](/pricing/) ### [PHISHING PROTECTION](/) _Phishing is undoubtedly a significant threat to the digital world_. And since **phishing techniques** are becoming more sophisticated by the day, more and more people are falling into these traps. Phishing is a [social engineering](/resources/protection-against-social-engineering-phishing-and-ransomware/) attack by hackers where they try to trick unsuspecting and ill-informed targets into giving up their sensitive information. It is one of the most commonly used methods that hackers use to gain information like bank account details, credit/debit card information, social security number, usernames, passwords, etc. **Phishing attacks** can take place anytime and to anyone because most scammers send their attacks in bulk and without specific targets. So, it’s the responsibility of every internet user, irrespective of professional and personal, to become familiar with the primary [protection against phishing](/) scams. > Failing to recognize between genuine and fake messages can lead to some dangerous consequences. ![Phishing Prevention For Data](https://media.mailhop.org/phishprotection/images/2021/08/phishing-prevention-for-data.jpeg) ### Types Of Phishing Scams And Protection Against Them When we talk about phishing, it is essential to know that they come not only in the form of emails; [phishing attacks](/resources/phishing-attacks-examples/) can come in various ways, such as phone calls i.e. vishing (VOIP phishing), cold calls, browser pop-ups, and fake search results. Since the _phishers design their scams to look like other messages arriving from credible sources_, it can become very challenging to differentiate between legitimate and fraudulent messages. Awareness of the different phishing techniques and how to [protect against these scams](https://us.norton.com/internetsecurity-online-scams-how-to-protect-against-phishing-scams.html) will help you to avoid becoming a victim. ![Phishpr Email Phishing Icon 100](https://media.mailhop.org/phishprotection/images/2020/09/phishpr-email-phishing-icon-100.jpg) #### Email Phishing Scams [Email phishing](/blog/sophisticated-new-tactic-makes-phishing-emails-harder-to-detect/) is a standard _phishing attack to trick people into clicking on a fraudulent link or URL_. Attackers send these emails in bulk in the hope of landing at least a few takers (obviously those who are not aware of opening and handling of emails). They usually [impersonate someone](/products/email-impersonation-protection/) or some organization that is well-known to the target. They aim to collect critical personal and financial information from the recipient of their messages. _Well-composed phishing messages sometimes make it difficult to recognize as fake_, but the below points can help people to stay safe from such attacks. ##### How To Protect Yourself From Email Phishing - _Always be mindful during handling emails and investigate each link_ before taking any action. - Email recipients **must not click on any links** in an email that they find somewhat suspicious. Moreover, they should also stay away from downloading attachments before verifying the email. - If the message gives an instruction to visit any website and provides links for the same, _it is better to do so by opening it in their browsers instead of from the link provided_. - It’s true that busy professionals regularly handle hundreds of emails; but, they _must pay attention to each of the communication before taking any action_. Otherwise, it can be a significant threat to their organization. - Phishers are experts in the mimicry of logos to present a legitimate impression. Furthermore, [spoofed email](/content/spoofing-prevention/what-is-spoofing/) addresses can also be a part of their communication so that recipients can perceive them as genuine. But, the email address might have spelling mistakes, which is a clear indication of a **phishing email**. - The email address can also consist of a [spoofed domain](/blog/what-is-domain-phishing-tips-to-keep-businesss-domain-secure-from-spoofing/). And without proper attention, it’s not possible to track these clues. ![Phishpr Vishing Icon 100](https://media.mailhop.org/phishprotection/images/2020/09/phishpr-vishing-icon-100.jpg) #### Vishing Scams [Vishing](/blog/understanding-phishing-types-phishing/) is another type of phishing. _Vishing or VoIP phishing is nothing but a voice-call version of email phishing_. Other than that, it’s the same scam attack as **email phishing**. Under this setting, cybercriminals try to trick people into getting access to their confidential, sensitive financial, and personal information. But, _proper protective precautions help one to stay safe from such scams_. ##### How To Protect Yourself From Vishing - _You must not share your confidential information over phone calls_: Cybercriminals call people, claim to be from an official source, and trick callers to share their data. A reputed organization with proper **security policies** will never request sensitive information over voice calls. - If you get such calls, _you must cut the call and check the original organization’s website_. After finding out their contact number, it’s time to call them and verify whether or not it was the right call. - _You must stay away from calling a number the caller has provided_: Calling the numbers that a caller (a potential phisher) has provided can lead to some adverse outcomes. So, you should find out the contact numbers on the official website first if possible, and the secret of that number will reveal automatically. ![Phishpr Smishing Icon 100](https://media.mailhop.org/phishprotection/images/2020/09/phishpr-smishing-icon-100.jpg) #### Cold-Call Scams Pretending To Be Tech Support _Cybercriminals can also call an individual by pretending to be representatives of a well-known security enterprise_. Phishers trick that person by telling him or her that they have detected [malware](/content/protection-against-malware/what-is-malware/) on his/her system. The real intention of these criminals is to convince that person to install a kind of remote desktop software. _Falling into this trap means phishers will get access to that system by installing malware_. ##### How To Protect Yourself From Cold-Call Phishing - _Checking out the phone numbers of the actual organization_: Once a person calls and claims to be a technical support representative or an employee of a specific organization, people must start checking and confirming the real organization’s contact number online. - _Allowing remote access to your computer is a strict No-No_: People must not enable remote access to their computers to stay away from [phishing scams](/resources/dont-guard-down-avoid-phishing-scams-simple-steps/) and their dangerous consequences. ![Phispr Search Engine Ttack Icon 100](https://media.mailhop.org/phishprotection/images/2020/09/phispr-search-engine-ttack-icon-100.jpg) #### Pop-Up Phishing _Malicious pop-ups can be hazardous_. These fraudulent pop-ups can display a warning message that the user’s computer is under [attack by malware](/blog/how-adequate-protection-against-malware-can-secure-organizations-network-systems/). They trick users by providing a contact number for the solution. ##### How To Protect Yourself From Pop-Up Phishing - _Always check the message thoroughly to find out signs of phishing_, such as spelling mistakes, bad grammar, and unprofessional appearance. - If something seems amiss, **refrain from clicking** on the pop-up and run your anti-virus program instead. - _Legitimate pop-ups usually appear only within the security organization’s interface_. Also, most reputable organizations do not send unsolicited pop-ups promising to fix users’ computers if they grant them remote access. ![Phishpr Whaling Attack Icon 100](https://media.mailhop.org/phishprotection/images/2020/10/phishpr-whaling-attack-icon-100.jpg) #### Fake Search Results _Fraudsters often use paid services of search engines to list their sites on prominent locations on SERPs_. They lure victims with promises of support services that are too good to be true. If you enter these sites or click on the ads, you may unknowingly download [malware](/content/protection-against-malware/types-of-malware/) into your system and compromise the security of your database. ##### How To Protect Yourself From Fake Search Results Scams - _Always validate the URLs provided_. Scammers usually create fake sites with a small variation of the domain name they are impersonating. - Use **secure search services** to know the credibility of the websites you visit. ### Conclusion Protecting yourself from [phishing attacks](/resources/phishing-attacks-and-content-protection/) may seem like a daunting task since there are a lot of **phishing strategies** in existence and phishers keep on inventing newer and more advanced techniques to trick people. However, knowing the [anti-phishing](/) techniques, proper attention to details in the email ‘subject’ line, and a thorough examination of all emails, calls, or _any other suspicious online activities before taking online actions will protect you from phishing scams quite well_. ## Protect your inbox from phishing attacks Start your 60-day free trial - no credit card required. 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