Being aware. Be alert: purported emails from Apple, Netflix, Yahoo, WhatsApp, PayPal, Facebook, Microsoft, eBay, Amazon, other utility, telecom, service providers, or banks, or heads of institutions, departments: Experts say these are the top companies/ personalities impersonated in phishing scams

ANSWER: Being aware.

Be alert if you receive purported emails from Apple, Netflix, Yahoo, WhatsApp, PayPal, Facebook, Microsoft, eBay, Amazon, other utility, telecom, service providers, or banks, or heads of institutions, departments: Experts say these are the top companies/ personalities impersonated in phishing scams

What to watch out for: If you receive any email or text messages or phone calls from Apple, Netflix, Yahoo, WhatsApp, PayPal, Facebook, Microsoft, eBay, Amazon, other utility, telecom, service providers, or banks, or heads of institutions, departments: Experts say these are the top companies impersonated in phishing scams

From U.S. Norton and other IT security experts:  It starts with a “Dear Customer” or “Dear Client” or with a “Hello” foregoing the Dear…

Second, according to experts, it makes it look like something urgent has to be done by you, like saying (1) your account has been suspended, or you have been reported, and you have to enter your log-in credentials again or to click a link: BE WARY OF THIS.

or (2) telling you certain items will be shipped to you etc so you have to click a link: STOP, DO NOT CLICK THE LINK

(3)saying that you have a gift card, a raffle ticket, a discount, freebie, prize, and you have to click a link; (4)or that you have a refund, or you will get a cash-back or payback by just clicking the link: THIS IS A SCAM, DO NOT BITE THE BAIT

(5)stressing that your payment did not go through so you have to update your payment information or that you overpaid so you have to update your payment information: RED FLAG, Do NOT go there

(6)offering you a job abroad, or of an international caliber, or a job that will allow you to travel for free, or a work-from-home arrangement with high returns:

(7)or, emails purportedly from the head of your office or from a colleague of yours, asking to connect with you briefly and for you to input your social media URLs or your contact info or other numbers.

RED FLAGS!

Third, the email sender uses strange URLs, or a deceptively similar email address, and blurry logos.

The advice is to NOT click on any link from any of such emails, and NOT  to engage with the phishing email sender, do NOT reply at all, and DELETE the email message right away.