Email “phishing” scams have become fairly prevalent. I have received several of them in the past week. It is important that you and your staff be aware of what to look for so that your data doesn’t become a victim of ignorance.
- Before opening any attachments, look at the sender email address to be sure that it is from someone you know.
- The email is about something that appears to be legitimate, like a past due invoice, but the sender is not someone that you do business with. This one I have seen several times in the past month. Make your staff aware of this so that they don’t inadvertently open an attachment and open your data to a ransomware attack.
- Never click on a link that you aren’t familiar with. I have a friend that likes to send me links to YouTube videos. I don’t open them unless there is a note attached that shows me it is from this person.
- Don’t respond to emails that request you update your password or account information.
- Instruct staff to not respond to emails that aren’t part of their job description. For example, if someone in operations received an email from a vendor that was not someone the firm typically does business with, they would be aware of it. Someone in financial planning may not be.
Your business data is your most important asset. Be sure everyone is aware of it.
Hill Compliance Advisors' Blog 