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About two months ago, I got my first Facebook phishing email. It asked me to click a link so that I can change my Facebook password. You know, for my ‘security’.

Well, this one was an immediate red flag to me for the following reasons:

1)   I’m not an active Facebook member at all and the email address that was used to send me the message was an account I was SURE I had not used for opening a Facebook account.

2)   The message style of the email was very unprofessional. It said this:

Dear user of facebook,

Because of the measures taken to provide safety to our clients, your password has been changed. You can find your new password in attached document.

Thanks,
Your Facebook.

First of all, “Dear user of facebook”? Come on.

Plus, the fact that the word facebook was not properly written (Facebook) was another red flag.

3)   Attachments are major red flags too. Even if it was only a link to change the password I would not immediately click it. So an attachment, something for me to download on my PC, is definitely a red flag.

It didn’t take long for my doubts to be proven true. Tons of articles online soon appeared stating that Facebook password reset confirmation emails were a fake. Good thing I didn’t download the attachment and have malicious software invade my PC!

If you get this email or other phishing messages, here are a few more of those ‘red flags’ you should be aware of.

• If you are asked to provide passwords, personal information, or credit card details, be weary.
• If you are addressed as “dear user” instead of “dear [your name]”. With the latter, it at least signifies that some time ago you may have signed up for their product or service (because they have your real name).
• If the email is poorly written with many grammar errors, it’s probably a phishing email. This is because professional organizations will almost always take the time to craft professional looking messages to their users / subscribers.

As a way to AVOID getting phishing emails, ensure that your antivirus software is always updated. Most of the time, these malicious emails will have a word or two in them that will trigger your antivirus program to issue a warning message about the email or move the message altogether to your Junk or SPAM folder.

Make sure your firewall is always turned on too!