Business Corner: Don’t Be Caught Phishing at Work or at Home

“Phishing” is when you receive a suspicious email telling you that you’ve won a contest or that the company needs to verify personal information. Links in the email can put a virus on your computer to hunt for your sensitive data.

How to Avoid This Scam

They are almost impossible to avoid and, although it’s vital to have virus protection software on your computer, the best protection is a good sense of judgment. Legitimate companies and government agencies are not going to ask you to confirm your personal information in this way. If it’s a company you already deal with and you aren’t sure if it’s real, don’t click on the link. Instead, go to the company website by typing in their URL yourself, and then log into your account and make sure everything is OK.

Scams like these and many more are monitored and brought to the attention of unsuspecting consumers and business owner’s everyday by Better Business Bureau.  Be up-to-date and safe by signing up for our scam alerts at www.bbb.org/us/enewsletter/.

For more information, you can call me at 510-844-2068. 

Rex Albright is the supervisor of communications and advertising for the Golden Gate Better Business Bureau. "Business Corner" is a partnership between San Bruno Patch and the San Bruno Chamber of Commerce that features blogs on Wednesdays guest-written by chamber members.