Cyber criminals use phishing methods to capture your personal and/or financial information. Certain phishing methods use an email with a spoofed address and can target your workplace. Want to learn more about phishing emails at work? Find out more by reading our tips.
A spoofed address: An e-mail address that has been forged to make it appear as if it originated from somewhere or someone other than the actual source, including from within your workplace (it may even have corporate logos).
Criminals have come up with new ways to phish for your information. Including pretending to be a coworker or someone with a professional relationship with you. “Spear phishing” is an example of this kind of cyber-attack.
What is spear phishing?
The email will be unique and will contain personal information about you or your work (name, position, project, etc.). You will notice the email is more customized.
The anatomy of a phishing email:
- Claims to come from a credible organization or someone familiar
- A tone of urgency that asks you to take immediate action
- A threat of negative consequences or the promise of a reward
Some tips to stay safe:
- Watch out for unsolicited emails with bad grammar
- Always independently verify if you get an email from a coworker that requires a money transfer or personal information
- Do not trust supplied links
- Never reply with personal, confidential, or financial information to “verify” identity
- Do not click on “Unsubscribe” in a spam/ phishing email – this lets the spammers know they have hit a “live” address and you will get more emails
If you feel that you may have been a victim of fraud, please report it to the Canadian Anti Fraud Centre.
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About Consumer Protection BC
We are responsible for regulating specific industries and certain consumer transactions in British Columbia. If your concern is captured under the laws we enforce, we will use the tools at our disposal to assist you. If we can’t help you directly, we will be happy to provide you with as much information as possible. Depending on your concern, another organization may be the ones to speak to; other times, court or legal assistance may be the best option. Explore our website at www.consumerprotectionbc.ca.