You’ve seen the emails. At first glance, they appear to be from trusted sources like your financial institution, your credit card company, or your mortgage lender. The logos look right. The links seem correct. However, as you read the message, you see requests to verify personal data or financial information. That’s when the red flag should go up. The sender is phishing.
Phishing is an identity theft tactic that uses fake emails or websites to trick consumers into revealing personal financial information. By posing as an official organization, retailer, or government agency, cybercriminals exploit the natural desire for security and lure users into entering their personal data on fake web pages.
According to a 2018 report by Wombat Security, financial attacks now account for more than 50% of phishing incidents. If cybercriminals can obtain your social security number, bank account information, and other private data, your identity and your hard-earned money are at risk.