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If the suspicious message appears to come from a person you know, contact that person via some other means such as text message or phone call to confirm it. Or call the organization using a phone number listed on the back of a membership card, printed on a bill or statement, or that you find on the organization's official website. Then go to the organization's website from your own saved favorite, or via a web search. If you receive a suspicious message from an organization and worry the message could be legitimate, go to your web browser and open a new tab. Never click any links or attachments in suspicious emails. Learn more If you receive a phishing email If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription with Advanced Threat Protection you can enable ATP Anti-phishing to help protect your users. Note that the string of IP address numbers looks nothing like the company's web address. In the following example, resting the mouse on the link reveals the real web address in the box with the yellow background. Instead, hover your mouse over, but don't click, the link to see if the address matches the link that was typed in the message. Suspicious links or unexpected attachments - If you suspect that an email message is a scam, don't open any links or attachments that you see. If the email starts with a generic "Dear sir or madam" that's a warning sign that it might not really be your bank or shopping site.
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Generic greetings - An organization that works with you should know your name and these days it's easy to personalize an email. These errors are sometimes the result of awkward translation from a foreign language, and sometimes they're deliberate in an attempt to evade filters that try to block these attacks. If an email message has obvious spelling or grammatical errors, it might be a scam.
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Spelling and bad grammar - Professional companies or organizations usually have an editorial staff to ensure customers get high-quality, professional content. When you get an email from somebody you don't recognize, or that Outlook identifies as a new sender, take a moment to examine it extra carefully before you proceed. Are you sure it's real? Slow down and be safe.įirst time or infrequent senders - While it's not unusual to receive an email from someone for the first time, especially if they are outside your organization, this can be a sign of phishing. Tip: Whenever you see a message calling for immediate action take a moment, pause, and look carefully at the message.
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