PSA: Watch For Bogus Emails from Trusted Companies

[MineralMan]

I just got an email from Norton, regarding my credit card information needing an update. Guess what? The button in the email that was supposed to take you to your Norton account page to update it was bogus. I don't know where it would take you, but I didn't bite. It was a phishing email, and looked very, very authentic. Don't be fooled.

Instead of clicking that button, I typed in the URL for Norton into my browser and logged in. Then, I checked my credit card information, which was fine and up to date.

The designers of these fake emails are very good these days. It all looks fine. No typos or poor use of language.

Just don't ever click on any link in any email. If you want to check your account, go directly to the company's website by typing the correct URL in the address box in your browser. Then, log in and check. Never click links in emails!

That's my advice for the day. I urge everyone to follow it 100% of the time.

[Wounded Bear]

1. K & R...for visibility...

I get those, too.

[MineralMan]

2. Everyone does. The problem is that the creators of those bogus emails

are getting more and more sophisticated. The phishing attempts look more and more professional all the time. So, people get fooled.

Don't get fooled!

[Wounded Bear]

7. I've deleted some of those so many times they now go directly to spam...

[Maeve]

3. If you hover over the link, you can often see the real URL it's sending you to

And the "from" address is often something-something.google.com or some totally random stream of letters and numbers. Some are good fakes, but your advice is sound--Never click links in emails!

[MineralMan]

4. Yes. I always do that, but it's easier just never to click email links.

That's a 100% guarantee of safety.

[CousinIT]

5. Doesn't hurt to report the phishing attempt to the company either.

Many times they will post warnings on their websites or send emails to their customers warning them about the phishing emails.

It's good advice to NEVER click on any link or download any attachment in any email unless you know who it's from and exactly what it is and you requested it/are expecting it. Even then, be damn sure, check links by hovering your mouse over them - if they are not recognizable, don't click. Go to the company's website instead or call them. And everybody - EVERYBODY - without exception should be running up to date anti-virus/anti-malware on their systems and mobile devices. They can block much evil from getting on your system or executing on your system - not all, but most.

We have phishing drills where I work. They teach users that just because an email LOOKS legit - doesn't mean it is. Hackers are sneaky bastards who can craft VERY legit-looking emails and even login pages that LOOK like the real thing but are not.

[MineralMan]

8. Yes. I didn't visit the log-in page, but

it probably looks exactly like Norton's real log-in page.

As you say, those phishing emails can look very authentic. It's safest just to never click on anything in any email. Period. Go directly to the company's website, instead. Every time!

[lamp_shade]

6. I get them often... Kohl's, Lowe's, CVS, etc. What I do before anything else is

just scroll over the sender's email address and it'll be obvious that it's crap.
e.g. I just received one from CVS - "Big Gift Inside"...
the sender's address - "[e-mail]"
One from Amazon Prime (Action Required) - address - "mailamz-noreplyapsrvcieapsun18awpq-83827345452657@f1gjh56g"
They all want me to VERIFY something. They all go directly to my Spam folder. I NEVER click on any of them.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

9. I don't get those phishing emails,

but recently I've been getting text messages telling me my cell phone is infected. I just delete those.

[William Seger]

13. Smishing: SMS phishing

By coincidence, I just found that term 10 minutes ago by searching for texting scams. I got a text last week and again today allegedly from AT&T saying our December bill was paid, click on a bogus looking link for my free gift.

[Rebl2]

10. My husband

got something similar to that, but it was from Amazon. Of course he didn’t click on it.

[peggysue2]

11. My husband has been getting the Norton emails

Same thing--credit card and personal info needs updating. Only problem? He doesn't use Norton. I do.

Sounds as if the scammers are throwing the net far and wide hoping they'll snag a unsuspecting mark.

Another day, another con. Gotta be careful out there.

What I've been receiving are a slew of texts saying if I sign up for some nondescript program/diet formula, I'll lose 45 pounds in 4 weeks. LOL. If I lost 45 pounds, I'd no longer exist.

Crazy time!

[William Seger]

20. I keep getting "invoices" from Norton

... (but a non-Norton email address) saying my account had been renewed and my credit card had been charged for over $400, click this (non-Norton) link if I have a problem with that. Hard to believe people still fall for stuff that bogus, but I guess they do.

[pandr32]

12. I've been seeing them as well.

What worries me is how many people fall for these e-mails? What happens?
It has been said repeatedly that many people who are scammed never come forward to report it because they are embarrassed. I would think older people who were raised to be trusting and compliant would be prime targets. Life is hard enough today without losing money.

[OMGWTF]

14. I get several of these criminal emails every damn day.

In Outlook's upper right corner, you will see arrows to reply, reply all, and forward the email. Next to the arrows are three dots. Click on the dots and go to "Security Options" from there click on "Phishing" and it'll ask you if you want to report it. Hell yes, I want to report it. Once you do that it disappears from your inbox and hopefully is being investigated by someone who can stop this crap.

[UGADawg]

15. I get them from a fake AT&T almost every day.

[bucolic_frolic]

16. They come as texts on cell phones too

Guess they're phishing for the cell phone number, or a location, or if it's active.

[Marthe48]

17. I got one the other day

Checked all of my accounts, because the email said they would charge me. I don't have Norton, wouldn't pay 349.99/yr. Geez.

I checked Google about scam email, which this was, and then forwarded to my credit card, hoping their fraud team will follow up. Google said that the return email address is usually a google account, and also look for incorrectly used English or spelling errors.

I agree 100%: don't click on any links in a suspicious looking email!

[Traildogbob]

18. Great heads up

We need to be reminded and many seniors just do not know. Hopefully your post will get family members of seniors to educate them to these scams. It sicken me how these e-mail and phone scammers are so heartless. I use RoboKiller for my phone. It is fantastic. Are there any email blockers that do what RoboKiller does for phone calls?
How about an app that allows you to point your phone at a person speaking that alerts you he/she is a scammer. Imagine pointing your phone with that app at any moment at Fox News. The phone would explode if pointed at trump, anytime that cake hole is moving.

[usaf-vet]

19. Retired IT consultant. 25+ years. Here are some suggestions.

If you don't have a Gmail account, consider getting one.

Here is why. Gmail has a great feature that allows you to write FILTERS for incoming mail.

For example, you can select to filter mail that comes from the [xyxabc.com] "company"
Check a couple of boxes like
IGNORE email from. Check
Delete this email. Check
Apply these rules to other emails from the same source. Check

Also, look for UNSUBSCRIBE buttons usually at the bottom of the email it VERY SMALL TYPE FONT.

MineralMan is correct. NEVER click those links ALWAYS access the known website to check for the accuracy of your existing data.

This is one of my pet peeves; this is something the government needs to deal with. When these perpetrators are caught, it should be a federal crime with severe penalties. In my mind, it is no different than using the USPS for illegal purposes.