Imagine you got an e-mail from your CEO asking you to wire money to a new vendor account. This is an unusual and out-of-character request, but he's your boss so you shrug it off and wire the money. The next day your CEO says he never sent you anything. Turns out, his e-mail was spoofed and that money was stolen.
E-mail spoofing is the modification and forging of an e-mail so that the message appears to have originated from someone other than the actual source. Spammers often spoof e-mail in an attempt to get recipients to open and respond to their requests. They can make it seem you are receiving an e-mail from your bank, your CEO, or any other trusted sources.
Spoofing scams can attempt to obtain your password, have you transfer large sums of money to them, obtain sensitive information about you or your company, and much more.
Here are some tips on what to do if you think you received a spoofed email:
What to look for:
- Atypical use of language
- Out-of-place requests (Wire Transfer, Pay Stubs, Financial Information)
- No signature
- Incorrect user display "friendly" name
- Misspelled e-mail address
- Requests to change your password
How to protect yourself:
- Do not reply to to the sender
- Do not open any links / websites
- Do not open attachments
Techworks wants to ensure your business does not become the next target. Your security is our number one priority.
For our Techwatch Managed Service clients, security updates to prevent spoofed messages from getting to your Inbox are automatically included. If you'd like to inquire about our Techwatch Managed Services, please feel free to reach out to us.
It's important to keep yourself safe. If you have any questions or believe you have received a spoofed e-mail, call us ASAP at (631) 285-1527 or e-mail us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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