When it comes to cyber security, businesses no doubt spend valuable resources on creating and implementing a security plan. However, no matter how solid these plans are, employees will always be the weakest link. One of the biggest issues originates with employee email accounts. Many don’t even know how to identify a fraudulent email, which means that it is likely they would perform an action that will likely cause a security breach, such as click on an attachment. Here’s more information on what to look for when determining if an email has a malicious intent or not:

Be Educated on the Types of Scams

There are several types of email scams out there and it is important to know what they are. Some of these scams have been around for a long time and others are fairly new on the scene. These scams include things like Ponzi schemes, CEO fraud, bank scams, phishing, and more. Not only that, but some emails are designed to encourage the reader to click on links or attachments that are malicious. Some of these are even designed to infect a computer or network with a virus, adware, or even ransomware.

Know What a Fraudulent Email Looks Like

Being able to identify the types of scams is only one part of being able to spot a fraudulent email. What if the cyber criminal is trying a tactic that not many people know about or the reader never learned about the scam or fraud contained within the email? No matter what the details are, fraudulent emails all have similar characteristics. Knowing what they are can help prevent the employees from falling victim. Here’s a look at what they are:

  • Obvious typos. Typically, fraudulent emails are filled with typos, such as misspellings and grammatical errors. Sometimes, scammers do this on purpose. Other times, it can show that the individual who composed the email wasn’t a native English speaker, which could be a red flag that the email originated from someone wanting to cause harm.
  • Personal information. Cyber criminals often use email to obtain personal information about either the reader or the company. If the email asks for the information, chances are pretty good they want to use it in a bad way.
  • False email address. Another telltale sign that the email is fraudulent has to do with the email address. More often than that, the email address isn’t legitimate. If you think an email might possibly be the real thing, be sure to research the email address just to be safe.

Being able to identify a fraudulent email is an important skill that all employees should have. It is a good idea to put all employees through security training where they learn how to identify these bad emails as well as what to do about them when they do show up in their inboxes. Contact Roan Solutions for more information.