Phishing: how does this hacking method work, and how can you prevent it?

There are a lot of methods of personal data stealing. However, phishing remains one of the most common and is oriented toward users who don’t double-check the websites they use. Moreover, they are free to interact even with suspicious people they meet online. 

However, it would be wrong to think that phishing can affect only people who are not attentive enough. Users who understand how scammers work can also be affected since phishing is used along with different psychological manipulations. 

In this article, we will dive deep into the issue of phishing and will give you pieces of advice on how to fight it.

How does phishing work?

Phishing comes from the word “fishing” because both these activities have much in common. This hacking method required a lot of time and effort. Some scammers can spend months to gain the trust of their victims and get personal benefits. 

The methods of stealing personal data are the following:

• Using links in search engines. For example, the user would like to visit a site with a “website.com” domain. The user enters the website’s name in the search bar, sees the first link (an advertisement), presses it, and starts authorization. However, the user will not see that the domain is not “website.com” but “website.co”. Such methods are used with different websites, mainly for varying marketplaces where users can enter payment information.
• Using hacked users. It is a standard phishing method. For example, you are a member of a working chat. Someone of your colleagues, maybe your boss or a colleague, sends a link to the unknown website. You press it because you may think that it contains helpful information. However, you will have to enter your information on this unknown website or register using your social network accounts. If you do it, the same link will be sent to all the chats you are a member of. 
• Using psychological manipulation. A random user can add you on Facebook, or, for example, you can meet a new friend in some online game. You will have great and friendly conversations, and a month later, your new friend will ask you for something. For example, he can ask you to “vote for his younger sibling on the song contest.” There is nothing off in such a request, and you will trust the person enough to follow the link, authorize, and give a vote. After stealing your information, the scammer will stop any interactions with you. 

Of course, all these phishing methods don’t mean that you should read all messages with anxiety. 

What is the primary goal of phishing?

The main goal of phishing, as we mentioned before, is stealing users’ personal information. And the stolen data can be abused differently. However, the most common uses of it include the following:

• Getting access to your personal information. For example, by hacking your email, scammers can learn a lot about your actions online and see the platforms you use and create accounts at. Moreover, they can sign in to other platforms using your email and get more information about you. 
• Getting access to your financial operations. If the scammer gains access to your bank account, he can make any purchases or transit money to other bank accounts. 
• Getting access to a broader information network. For example, if scammers gain access to your corporate email account, they can use it to learn more about your working space and make different diversions there.

Everything can vary significantly regarding the practical usage of the stolen data. It can be used for different financial frauds, the creation of bot networks, or even blackmailing.

How to protect yourself from phishing?

Becoming a victim of phishing can be a breaking point in your life. This is why you should know about the protection measures to prevent hacking and how to act if you have already been hacked. 

To not become a victim of the phishing, you should do the following:

• Check links and domains carefully. Scammers can slightly change domains, so before you sign in to a website, you should check how correct the link is. For example, if you go to Weblium, you should make sure that the domain is “weblium.com”, not “webliu.mcom”.
• Check the reviews. If your friend has sent you a link to a website with a humble request to register there, you need to check how legit the website is. Reviews, in most cases, will show you whether the platform is a phishing website or not. 
• Pay attention to the interface. On the one hand, it might seem that the website is legit due to the high-level design solutions it uses. However, the majority of the website’s content will be hidden. Each click will probably lead to the registration window. The one and only option will be registration with a Google account or another service containing your personal information. You will see nothing strange in a new window where you have to enter your information. However, if you try to move this window, you will realize this is just a pop-up. 

Phishing is constantly developing, so in some cases, it might be much more challenging to know about your data being stolen. Sometimes, scammers use schemes that are too hard to recognize. 

However, when you realize your data is in danger, you should immediately perform several actions.

•  Block your credit card. If scammers steal your payment information, you need to ensure your funds will be secured. Call your bank manager and inform them about the issue. 
• Change passwords for your accounts. You should change the passwords to all the accounts you have, especially if you have the same password for everything. If your email was hacked, make sure to change passwords to all the linked accounts.
• Warn your colleagues about the hack. If your working email or working account was hacked, you should call your manager and tell them about it. You will give your team time and space to secure the company. 

Of course, if the scammer worked only with you, it would be hard to avoid experiencing consequences. Usually, professional phishers will do anything so you will never get suspicious about them stealing your data. 

How does Weblium protect you from phishing?

Weblium is a website builder, and the safety of users is our primary concern and priority. We understand the issue of phishing and do everything to avoid it. Most often, websites are used to steal personal data. This is why we do everything to protect users. 

• Analyzing websites and content. We always analyze the sites created with our platform to understand whether they are safe for the audience or not. This is why we can detect potentially harmful platforms immediately. 
• Removing harmful content. When our specialists detect harmful content or websites, they remove it. Our support team will renew all the removed content if any mistake occurs. 
• Analysis of requests. If you notice that a website created with Weblium is involved in phishing, you should contact our support team. You can do it via the chat on the website or by writing a letter to support@weblium.com. After receiving a message, the website will be checked, and if fraudulent activity is detected, it will be removed. 

If you understand that the website created with Weblium is dangerous, please contact us anytime.

Conclusion

Phishing is one of the most common online issues, proving that you must always be aware. However, properly checking domains, reviews, and sources that send you links can significantly reduce the risk of being hacked. 

Weblium blocks all suspicious websites that can become a phishing tool to make the Internet a bit safer place for users.