Sporting events, elections, viral videos, and more. If a current event will make you more likely to respond, spear phishers will use it in their phishing schemes.
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12% | of recipients clicked a link or downloaded an attachment.1 |
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30% | of phishing messages opened by recipients.2 |
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55% | increase in the volume of spear phishing campaigns targeting employees.3 |
Spear phishing scams can reference any number of current events. Here are some real-world examples of events they've used:
In 2016, the United States saw a 400% increase in phishing and malware incidents during the tax season. 4
Months ahead of the Summer Olympics in Rio, scammers started stealing credit card data using phishing emails and data entry sites. 5
Spear phishers imitate loan providers or administrators to target university students and their parents. 6
Year after year, phishing scams exploit Black Friday and the holiday shopping season.
Fortunately, you can look out for certain warning signs to decrease your chances of falling for a phish.
Hover over a link (desktop), or hold for several seconds (mobile) to verify the link's domain.
Make sure the site is legit before buying. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Never follow a link from an email that solicits your password.
Be wary of emotional appeals that urge you to respond.
Spear phishers won't spare your feelings. They'll even utilize sensitive events like natural disasters to solicit a donation or a kneejerk response.
Be wary of unsolicited emails that leverage current events. If an email seems suspicious, report it to help keep our organization and networks secure.