A text says your bank account has been locked. An email from a familiar vendor includes new payment instructions. A caller claims they need your password to fix a security problem.
These messages arrive in different ways, but they have the same goal: to get you to act before you stop and check.
Watch for the warning signs
Scammers often create a sense of urgency. They may threaten to close an account, pause a payment, or take legal action unless you respond immediately. Others promise a prize or an easy way to make money.
Be especially careful with unexpected links and attachments. A link can lead to a fake sign-in page designed to capture your password, while an attachment could contain harmful software. Even if a message appears to come from someone you know, pause when the request seems unusual.
Take extra care with changes to payment instructions
Businesses should be alert to business email compromise, a scam in which a criminal gains access to a real email account and waits for a payment conversation. When an invoice is due, the criminal may reply in the existing email thread with new bank account details. Because the message comes from a familiar address, the change can look legitimate.
Before sending money to a new account, call the person or business using a phone number you already have on file. Don’t use the number provided in the message requesting the change. For business payments, having a second person review changes to payment information can add another safeguard.
Remember that scams can reach you anywhere
Phishing can also appear in text messages, phone calls, browser pop-ups, and QR codes. A text may urge you to click a link to “unlock” your account. A caller may pretend to represent a trusted company and ask for your password. A fake QR code could send you to a website that collects your payment information.
No matter how the message arrives, you can take the same first step: pause and verify it through a trusted channel. Visit a company’s website by typing its address yourself, or call a number you know is genuine.
If you receive a suspicious message, don’t reply, click its links, or open its attachments. If you believe you’ve shared banking information or sent money because of a scam, contact your bank promptly. Business owners should also report suspicious messages through their organization’s established procedures.
A few moments spent checking an unexpected request can help protect your information and your money.