Technology

How do you respond to a phishing email?

Do you think you’ve clicked on a link in a fraudulent email? here is what you can do-

Change your password immediately

Hackers will use the information obtained from you like your password to access your other accounts. So change your password right away and refrain from using one password for more than one account. Create passwords that are strong and complicated with a combo of numbers and symbols.

Let your credit agencies know

Contact one of the three major credit agencies as soon as possible and notify them that your account was possibly compromised. Place a fraud alert on the account, until the problem has been solved.

Notify credit card companies

Alert your credit card companies. Even if the cards have not been used yet, there may be unauthorized charges in your future. So it is important that you freeze/cancel your cards and let the bank know what happened so that they can protect your credit line.

Update your software

Get a comprehensive virus scan and update your software to the latest version. Avoid using the public Wi-Fi networks whenever possible and use VPN (Virtual Private Network) for the most secure option. You can also use encryption to ensure that you have a firewall enabled.

Check accounts habitually

Review your bank account and credit card account regularly to ensure that there is suspicious activity taking place. You must also leave the fraud alert on your credit report for a while so you are absolutely sure that the trouble is over.

Report it

There are many resources available for reporting an email scam. You can inform the National Information Center, an agency which reports fraudulent activity to the federal government and maintains the records of the incidents.