Cyber Security

3 Types of Common Scam Emails You Need to Watch Out For

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28 September 2021

We have our fair share of experience in dealing with various common scam emails. This is why we probably feel confident in being able to weed them out in case we come across one. 
However, what if we told you that a phishing email was crafted specifically to target your business and breach its digital security? Do you still feel confident in your abilities in being able to spot them? 
Gone are the days when email scams were easy to spot with offers that were too good to be true and email copy full of errors and grammatical mistakes. Hackers today have evolved. They’ve adopted sophisticated methods as they create bespoke scam emails to fool businesses. This is extremely alarming and dangerous for the safety of your business as even experienced users can fall prey to such tactics. 

Partner with Us to Strengthen Your IT Security!

At Redpalm, we are at the forefront of internet and business security with IT security solutions tailored to keep your business operations up and running. We have compiled a list of common scam emails that everyone needs to be aware of. 
Before we dive in, ensure that you don’t respond to an email unless you are 100% sure of its authenticity. 
Let’s now take a look at the types of most common spam emails!

1. Deceptive Phishing

Deceptive phishing occurs when hackers emulate a legitimate organisation to try and get their hands on crucial business information like your client’s bank account details, login credentials and more. Often, you’ll be asked to click a link that can help verify your account and proceed to make a payment.
When you keep a watch out for this kind of attack, this is what you need to pay attention to:

  • The grammar, wording and tone of the voice of the email
  • The email address and its source
  • The details of the URL you were asked to click on

Often the way the message is crafted will help you figure out if the email is authentic or a scam. Additionally, you need a robust IT support partner to ensure that your business security is at its peak. 
Give us a call for a free IT consultation today and we can discuss your organisation’s digital security in detail!

2. Spear Phishing

Spear phishing, in essence, is the same as deceptive phishing, but more targeted and personalised to dupe you. This is done specifically to lure you in and trick you into parting with sensitive information you may have access to. 
Hackers in this case will use position, name, contact information and company which is easily available online as proof of their ingenuity. Like deceptive phishing, you’ll be baited to click on a link that will help them gain access to confidential company information. 
Think about all the information you have made available about your company on LinkedIn and Facebook. Hackers are likely to use these details to target you and your employees. This means that staying alert is necessary to ensure your business’ safety at all times.
Keep an eye on any unusual email you receive. See if what they are requesting is different from the ordinary. Exercise caution and check every detail carefully before you do anything. 
If you are a small business, you might not have adequate resources to administer 24/7 monitoring of your IT environment. Partner with Redpalm and we can keep an eye on your digital network round the clock with our comprehensive IT security suite. 

3. Business Email Compromise or CEO Fraud

This is increasingly becoming one of the most common scam emails as someone tries to present themselves as the owner or the CEO of your company and try to dupe unsuspecting employees into gaining access to confidential company information. 
This type of email scam is usually directed to the finance department requesting to transfer money. For hackers, it’s easy to set up a genuine-looking email address using the information available on social media platforms. They can go ahead and use real pictures and address employees by their first names to fool them easily. Alternatively, they can access a business owner’s real account through a targeted phishing campaign and send emails using the original account.
Sophisticated scammers might also keep track of every move of the CEO of the business they are targeting. They can find out when they are out and about on a holiday or a business trip, and smartly send requests for emergency funds for fake client deals and commit fraud in their absence. 

Contact Redpalm to Fortify Your Overall Digital Security

User training is integral to keep email fraud at bay, as often, your employees are the gateway for hackers to compromise your organisational security. At Redpalm, we offer comprehensive training on safe and secure IT practices so that your employees are up to date with what’s going on in the world of cyber risk and security. 
As your IT support partners, we can ensure that your business benefits from robust IT solutions and suites we have in store for you. 
For more information, give us a call today!

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