How Attackers Are Using Social Engineering to Steal Your Identity

In the past, it was a lot easier to spot scammers than it is today. Identity thieves have moved beyond the predictable Nigerian scams and “punch the monkey” lures and have developed sophisticated social-engineering scams that are both hard to spot and difficult to stop. While our antivirus software is better than ever, it is still vitally important to educate yourself about the scams and tactics in use today and to remain vigilant against attack.

So, what exactly is social engineering and how can you prevent it? Basically, social engineering occurs when someone tries to convince you they are someone you can trust. This can happen in a variety of ways, but the goal is to get you to let down your guard and hand over certain information or access to your computer files. Following are some ways that social engineers are trying to obtain your personal information and files in an effort to steal your identity:

• Email – Attackers will sometimes send innocent-looking emails to people they wish to scam using authentic-looking emails that appear like they come from someone trustworthy. For example, a recent scam targeted at Sprint customers contacted people by email with a “pay my bill” option. Since Sprint does not offer this option through email, customers unknowingly connected to a scammer’s network when clicking the button.
• Offers – Some legitimate-looking offers are anything but. The goal of attackers is to get you to click on an advertisement or link that brings you into their realm. Once there, they can extract whatever they are seeking from your personal files. You may even unknowingly enter your personal information thinking you are responding to a legitimate offer.

What can you do?

Stopping attackers requires diligence. Maintain antivirus on your computer and update it regularly. You should also educate yourself about new scams on a regular basis and keep your eyes open. If something seems off, it probably is. If someone you trust contacts you in a different way than they have in the past, call them to make sure it’s a legitimate communication. By questioning everything, you stand a better chance of not falling prey to social engineers.