Don’t Take the Bait: How to Report Phishing Emails/Fraud

Phishing emails are fraudulent messages from scammers designed to trick you into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or bank account details. The Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) reports that an alarming 3.4 billion phishing emails are sent worldwide daily. As a Chicago managed IT services company, we encounter this every day. Chances are that one of these emails has landed in your inbox already.

So, what should you do when you get a phishing email? First, great job on identifying the phishing attempt, but the next step is to report the phishing email. 

Why Report Phishing Emails?

Your personal information, like your credit card number or social security number, could be stolen with a single click on a phishing email. It’s a scary thought, but the reality is that 90% of data breaches are caused by these malicious attacks.

Reporting phishing emails is a simple yet powerful step that you can take to protect yourself and others from cyberattacks. By taking a few minutes to report these malicious, fake emails, you’re helping to make the internet a safer place. Your reports help law enforcement catch bad actors. They also help tech companies improve their security measures.

How to Report a Phishing Email

Reporting phishing emails is important to protect your company’s data now and in the future. It also helps hold these cybercriminals accountable for their crimes. If you don’t report phishing emails or train your staff on how to deal with them, it can lead to problems down the line that are devastating and many times irreversible. In the next sections, we detail a handful of ways to report phishing/scam emails.

Do Not Click on Links or Attachments:

Never click on any links or attachments in a suspicious email. This could lead to malware infection or unauthorized access to your accounts.

Do Not Reply to the Email:

Avoid replying to the phishing email, as this could confirm your email address to the scammers.

Forward the Email to Your Email Provider:

Most email providers have built-in reporting features. Look for a “Report Phishing” or “Report Spam” button within your email client.

Report to the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG at reportphishing@apwg.org):

You can forward the phishing email to reportphishing@apwg.org. This organization collects and analyzes phishing reports to help identify and stop phishing attacks.

Report to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC):

You can report phishing attempts to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. This will help the FTC track phishing trends and take action against cyber criminals.

Report to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3):

If you believe you have been a victim of a phishing scam that resulted in financial loss, you can file a complaint with the IC3 at ic3.gov.

Additional Tips for Protecting Yourself from Phishing Attacks:

• Be Skeptical: Be wary of unsolicited emails, especially those that create a sense of urgency or offer incredible deals.
• Verify the Sender: Hover your mouse over the sender’s email address to check the actual domain name. Look for misspellings or unusual domains.
• Check for Typos and Grammar Errors: Phishing emails often contain grammatical errors or typos.
• Be Cautious on Social Media: Be mindful of what you share on social media. Scammers can use this information to personalize their phishing attacks.

The Bottom Line: Defense Against Fraudulent Emails

The fight against phishing requires a collective effort, and by reporting these scams and following the additional tips, you become a proactive defender of online security. So, the next time you encounter a suspicious email, remember don’t click anything, don’t reply to anything, and report it!

LeadingIT is a cyber-resilient managed IT and cybersecurity support provider. With our concierge support model, we provide customized solutions to meet the unique needs of nonprofits, schools, manufacturers, accounting firms, government agencies, and law offices with 20-200 employees in the Chicagoland area. Our team of experts solves the unsolvable while helping our clients leverage technology to achieve their business goals, ensuring the highest level of security and reliability.