What A Phishing Email Looks Like And How To Detect One [Infographic]

If you are on your computer all day, it would probably be hard for a scammer to entangle you in the web of a phishing email. I’ve had my identity stolen before, so I’ve learned the hard way not to click on any links or download any attachments in email unless I’m sure about where they’re coming from. But not everyone is as wary as I am. There are 500 million phishing emails sent per day, and many are effective. Every 60 seconds, 250 computers are hacked.

You can read more about the surprising success rate of these types of scams at Phishing Emails: The Scary Odds Of Success. If you want to protect yourself so your personal information and computer don’t get hacked to outer space and back, it’s important that you know what a phishing email looks like and how to detect it. That is where this infographic can help.

It’s simply called How To Detect A Phishing Email (by Inspired eLearning), and it does a very good job of reminding us what to look out for in these malicious emails.

One of the main things to remember is that your bank and credit card companies don’t send emails to discuss issues with your account. Sure, they send monthly statements, but if there is an issue, they will send you a letter in the mail or call you (not email). If you receive an email claiming to be from your bank or credit card company, the best thing to do is pick up the phone and call them about it. Chances are, it’s a scam.

Another thing to remember is – never click on the links in emails you are unsure about (or download any attachments). If you want to see if a web address is legit, write it on a piece of paper, close out of your email, and then type it into your browser. An interesting statistic on here states that 91% of cyber attacks begin with a spear phishing email. Just think, if you can avoid these emails, you will greatly reduce your odds of getting hacked. That in itself makes it worth some attention.