While the internet has given us many amazing things, it has also brought about its fair share of malicious ones. As a leading IT support firm in San Diego, we know that hackers and scammers are constantly trying to obtain the personal information of individuals and businesses. One of the most popular and easy to fall for hoaxes is phishing emails. So what exactly is a phishing email and what can you do to avoid falling for them?

Phishing emails are carefully crafted to look very similar to a legitimate company’s email correspondence. They generally have click bait titles, for instance, telling you your account has been suspended or there’s been suspicious activity. Clicking any links found within the email will direct you to a fake version of the company website. Once you login on the sham website, the phisher has your account information saved and can access your account on the real website, wreaking havoc before you ever realize you were scammed.

While phishing emails can put an individual’s personal data at risk, when phishing emails target a business, the effects can be even more detrimental. Phishers can gain access to business accounts, valuable data and even private information of clients. In fact, it is estimated that US businesses lose more than $2 billion each year to phishing schemes.

So how can phishing emails be avoided? Education. Teaching your employees about phishing emails, how to detect them and their risk can help to minimize their threat. For instance, emails from businesses that are asking for personal information, such as a bank or a company like PayPal, will generally contain some of your account information such as a username or the last four digits of your account. This information is generally not readily available to phishers, so emails without these markers should be double checked for validity. Educating your employees on simple tips like these can go a long way in protecting your business in the long-term.

Also, if you are suspicious of an email, compare the links embedded within the email with the main home page or website of the company who is responsible for sending it. By simply performing a Google search or directly typing in the URL provided in the email into your browser’s navigation bar, you can compare the websites to see if they are the same. When in doubt, contact the company directly and double check with one of their customer service representatives.

Businesses should also consider professional San Diego email security services which can filter emails and mark suspicious emails as spam. Along with education, email security services act as an additional line of defense and can help ensure that business data and company information is protected as best as possible.

Phishing is a very real and dangerous scam, but fortunately, it’s an easy one to stay protected from. Always exercise caution when it comes to inputting personal information, and be vigilant when it comes to “urgent” emails. After all, better safe than sorry. For more information about business IT security services, contact Syndeo Communications in San Diego at 760-650-3300. We’re available to answer your IT questions and can help you schedule a free consultation to further discuss your individual security needs.