Eric Crispen

This local community has meant everything to us, and we're truly grateful for every customer who's trusted us with their tech over the years. If you feel like we've earned it, we'd love your vote in this year's Best of the Best... it only takes a second.

https://guidetoflorida.com/ruskin/business-consulting/eric-crispen-computer-repair

Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.

Phishing isn't just a nerdy IT problem. It's about people. Scammers pose as vendors, coworkers or managers to trick you into handing over money or sensitive info. They send emails, texts or social‑media messages that look legit... and they succeed because we're busy and trusting. Check out this site for more great tips → https://it.nc.gov/resources/online-safety-privacy/tips-guidance/avoiding-phishing-attacks

𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗧𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔 𝗣𝗛𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗠𝗣𝗧
• Pressure and secrecy. "Urgent!" "Confidential!" They want you to act fast.
• Weird details. Generic greetings, first‑time/external senders, sloppy spelling or off‑brand domains ("micros0ft.com").
• Sneaky links/attachments. Hover over links to see where they really go.
• See more tips from Microsoft → https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/protect-yourself-from-phishing-0c7ea947-ba98-3bd9-7184-430e1f860a44

𝗪𝗛𝗬 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡 𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗛
Your IT team can build strong walls with firewalls, antivirus and endpoint detection, but a single click can undo all of that. As one security firm notes, phishing scams may ask for permission to run on your machine, and "𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘯𝘰 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘌𝘋𝘙 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶". Verizon's 2024 data breach report backs this up: the human element plays a role in 68% of breaches, and people typically click a malicious link within 21 seconds. In other words, the weakest link isn't the hardware - it's us, the humans. Want to read more about training your employees? You can start here → https://www.vc3.com/blog/best-way-stop-employees-clicking-phishing-scams

𝗣𝗔𝗬𝗥𝗢𝗟𝗟 𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗦 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗘
One common trick targets payroll: scammers create or hijack an employee's email, then ask HR to change that person's direct‑deposit details. They may include fake forms or voided checks to look legitimate. Don't make changes based on an email alone... ALWAYS verify with the employee directly and require multiple approvals. Here is a great article detailing this → https://www.cyber.nj.gov/Home/Components/News/News/1685/214

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗗𝗢
• Slow down and verify. If you're asked for money or sensitive info... call or message the sender using a known contact method. (never trust an email/message source)
• Educate EVERYONE. Regular training and simulated phishing tests help employees spot scams.
• Think before acting. Be leery of requests that urge immediate action or offer deals that seem too good to be true.
• Use Multi-factor Authentication (MFA/2FA) and strong, unique passwords.
• Report and review. If you suspect a scam, report it and check your accounts regularly.

𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗣𝗙𝗨𝗟 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗖𝗘𝗦
→ https://www.occ.gov/topics/consumers-and-communities/consumer-protection/fraud-resources/phishing-attack-prevention.html
→ https://www.cisa.gov/secure-our-world/teach-employees-avoid-phishing
→ https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams

𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦
Phishing scams, whether an invoice from a fake vendor or a "quick" payroll change request, are only stoppable if users are intelligent, vigilant and properly trained. Technology can assist, but your skepticism and verification are the last line of defense.