Phishing is a fraudulent scheme that intends to steal personal information from others for personal gain. Victims of phishing could reveal their online usernames, Social Security numbers, bank account information, credit card numbers, passwords, etc. This stolen confidential information is often sold to others who will use it to take advantage of victims.
Many people fall victim to phishing because attackers will manipulate and lie to get information. As technology grows, the number of phishing cases grows. Here is how it happens:
Common forms of phishing
The most common kind of phishing scams involve emails. The victims will receive an email from the attacker. The email will have a request from a seemingly legitimate entity. This request is often related to some kind of personal information that could be sold. Alternatively, the attacker may send the victim an email asking them to click a link. The site may then collect personal data from the victim.
An attacker may ask to install something on the victim’s computer. If a victim agrees to the request, the attacker may install malicious code that is designed to gather information, such as login codes. This could also happen with pop-up ads. A pop-up ad may appear on a website and, once clicked, will download code to steal data.
If you are accused of phishing, then you could face severe criminal charges. By understanding the extent of the acquisition and learning about your defense options, you can defend yourself from the consequences. Guidance is available to talk about your legal rights.