Cyber Claims: Phishing Scam Prevention and Identification

Types of Phishing Scams

Deceptive phishing

Deceptive phishing is when a cybercriminal impersonates a recognized sender to steal personal data and login credentials. These emails often trick victims by asking them to verify account information, change a password or make a payment.

Spear phishing

A spear-phishing scheme is typically aimed at specific individuals or companies and uses personalized information to convince victims to share their data. In these instances, cybercriminals will research a victim’s online behavior—such as where they shop or what they share on social media—to collect personal details that make them seem legitimate.

Whaling

Whaling aims to trick high-profile targets such as CEOs, chief financial officers and chief operating officers into revealing sensitive information, including payroll data or intellectual property. Since many executives fail to attend company security trainings, they are often vulnerable to whaling scams.

Vishing

Vishing, or “voice phishing,” occurs when a criminal calls a target’s phone to get them to share personal or financial information. These scammers often disguise themselves as trusted sources, such as a bank or the IRS, and rely on creating a sense of urgency or fear to trick a victim into giving up sensitive information.

Smishing

Smishing refers to “SMS phishing” and incorporates malicious links into SMS text messages. These messages often appear to be from a trustworthy source and lure victims in by offering a coupon code or a chance to win a free prize.

Pharming

Pharming is a sophisticated method of phishing that redirects a victim to a site of the cybercriminal’s choosing by installing a malicious program onto their computer. The goal is to have users input their login credentials or personal information, such as credit card numbers, on the fraudulent site.