Objects in Email Not Always What They Appear
Have you received an email from a ‘reputable source’, such as your bank, credit card company, or Paypal account, that notifies you of a password reset or the completion of a successful transaction that you know you didn’t make? Chances are, you’re the target of Phishing – and not the kind we like here around the Chesapeake Bay.
One quick and easy way to verify if an email like this is legitimate is to give it the Hover Test. Place your mouse’s onscreen icon over the links in the email – but don’t click!! Instead, look for a small pop-up box to appear which will contain the actual URL of the link, not just what is typed. Phishers mask the links in the email to make it appear they are going to an actual site, however, the link really points to a fake website setup to capture your precious online data. Try it with the link below:
http://www.international-house-of-money-bank.com
It’s always a good idea to forward any suspicious emails to your financial institution for verification. If you can find the actual URL of the sender, you can also block, or blacklist, the address in your spam settings as well.
Just like the big rockfish in the bay, know that you don’t always have to take the bait. Show those scammers it called ‘phishing’; not ‘catching’!
