Beware of phishing scams

Hackers frequently use lookalike emails and websites to steal personal login credentials, credit card information and other details. Phishing emails are how 90% of cyberattacks begin. (Photo: Bigstock)

It’s easy to become complacent about all of the emails that come into our inboxes, and that is just what hackers are counting on when they send a phishing email. You’ve seen them — they look like they are from your bank, a credit card company, Amazon or Pay Pal — and they inform you that there is a problem with your payment, account or credit card and you should contact them immediately.

While they may look legitimate, upon closer inspection, you may find typos, poor grammar or an unrecognizable email address if you mouse over the sender’s data. According to Verizon’s 2019 Data Breach Investigations Report, approximately one-third of data breaches involved phishing attacks. Why? Because they’re so successful.