Use these 5 rules to block phishing emails from your inbox
Your email inbox is probably full of suspicious emails. Despite your best efforts, at some point you have to click on one; don’t worry, we all do it. However, with a few simple tips and rules, you can try to keep your inbox free of phishing.
1 Hover over links before clicking
One of the easiest ways to protect yourself from phishing attempts is to hover over any link before clicking on it. This simple action can reveal the actual URL behind the anchor text, giving you a better idea of where it’s taking you.
When you hover over a link, make sure the URL matches the expected destination. If you expect to go to your bank’s website, but the URL looks unfamiliar or suspicious, it’s best not to click on it.
Be especially careful with shortened links, as they can easily obscure the real destination. Scammers often use link shorteners to hide malicious URLs behind seemingly harmless ones. If you must click on a shortened link, consider using a URL checker to check for potential threats.
URL checkers such as VirusTotal or URLVoid can help you determine if a shortened link leads to a fraudulent or malicious page. So if you take a moment to verify the safety of the link, you can save yourself some potential headaches.
2 Set up email rules and filters
Another effective way to keep phishing emails at bay is to set up rules and filters in Outlook or another email client. These tools allow you to automatically sort incoming messages based on specific criteria, helping you separate legitimate emails from potential threats.
Start by creating rules based on the sender. Let’s say you keep receiving phishing attempts from a particular email address or domain. In this case, you can create a rule that automatically moves these messages to a separate folder or marks them as spam.
Implementing language filters can also be useful. Many phishing emails contain bad grammar, spelling mistakes, or unusual phrases. By setting up filters that flag emails that contain these warning signs, you can easily identify and avoid potential scams.
Additional filtering criteria may include subject lines containing urgent or threatening language, emails with attachments from unknown senders, or messages from countries where you do not normally receive correspondence.
3 Block suspicious email addresses
If you notice phishing emails from the same sender, it may be time to take a more proactive approach. Most email clients offer the ability to block specific email addresses, preventing future messages from reaching your inbox.
Blocking suspicious email addresses can provide additional protection against persistent fraudsters. Once blocked, these senders can no longer contact you, reducing the risk of accidentally falling for one of their schemes.
However, fraudsters may try to bypass these blocks by creating new email addresses. That’s why you need to consistently block suspicious senders and stay alert.
4 Report phishing emails as spam
When you come across a phishing email in your inbox, don’t delete it – in addition to blocking the sender, take a moment to report it as spam. This simple action can have far-reaching benefits for you and other email users.
Reporting phishing emails as spam helps your email client learn to recognize and filter similar messages in the future. Over time, this can significantly reduce the number of phishing attempts that reach your inbox.
In addition, reporting an email as spam helps improve bulk spam detection. Email providers use this feedback to update their algorithms, making it easier to identify and block phishing attempts for all users.
5 Update your email client regularly
One of the often overlooked aspects of protecting against phishing emails is keeping your email client up-to-date. Software updates usually include important security patches and improvements that can help detect and prevent the latest phishing techniques.
Just update your email client regularly to have access to the latest security features and spam detection algorithms. These updates can mean the difference between falling victim to a phishing scam and avoiding it altogether.
Most email clients offer automatic updates. So it’s easy to stay protected without much effort on your part. However, if you’re prompted to manually install an update, don’t put it off – take a few minutes to complete the process and give yourself some extra peace of mind.
So by following these simple rules – hovering over links, setting up filters, blocking suspicious senders, reporting spam and keeping your email client updated – you can greatly reduce your risk of falling for a phishing scam. And if you slip up, don’t panic; you can still mitigate the damage caused by phishing.