October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a collaborative effort between government and industry to raise understanding nationally and internationally. 2023 marks the 20th annual Cybersecurity Awareness Month and all month long, Regions will be providing tips, information and resources on how you can stay cyber aware to make smart decisions that keep you, your family and your community safe online.
It’s hard to operate in today’s world without email and scammers know it.
That’s why phishing attacks are one of the more popular methods for cybercriminals. By using email, they lure you to click open a link that can infect your computer or ask you to provide personal information such as account numbers, passwords, or a Social Security number that can be used to access your account.
These emails often are disguised to look as if they are coming from a real financial institution, e-commerce site, government agency, or any other service, business, or individual.
The scammer’s goal – getting you take action by clicking on the link.
Tips to Stay Safe
Think before you click is a good first line of defense.
Scammers are always looking for vulnerabilities that encourage you to click, so it’s important to take the extra step, to pause and ask yourself a few questions before clicking or responding to email:
- Am I expecting this email?
- Do I normally get this type of email?
- Does the email address look like it is from a legitimate company?
- Is it asking for my sensitive information?
- Are there any misspelled words or incorrect grammar?
It’s always a good practice to have a skeptical mindset when opening and reviewing email. If you have any concerns and something doesn’t feel right, reach out directly to the company or individual via phone or in-person visit to confirm the email is legitimate.
And most importantly, don’t click on any links or download any attached files before you verify with the sender.
If you receive a suspicious email or text that appears to be from Regions, you should forward it to [email protected] and then delete it.
Cybersecurity Awareness Month is co-managed by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and National Cybersecurity Alliance. For more information about ways to keep you and your family safe online visit https://www.cisa.gov/cybersecurity-awareness-month and https://staysafeonline.org/cybersecurity-awareness-month/.
The information presented is general in nature and should not be considered, legal, accounting or tax advice. Regions reminds its customers that they should be vigilant about fraud and security and that they are responsible for taking action to protect their computer systems. Fraud prevention requires a continuous review of your policies and practices, as the threat evolves daily. There is no guarantee that all fraudulent transactions will be prevented or that related financial losses will not occur. Visit regions.com/STOPFRAUD or speak with your Banker for further information on how you can help prevent fraud.