Recognize Phishing Emails Before You're Caught | Stewart Title Blog

Phishing emails meant to steal email credentials continues to get through our mailboxes. In our industry, anything to do with closing files gets the easy catch - familiar words used in subject lines, body copy, and attachments. Hackers know and use our timing to their advantage; they know the ends of the week and month are the busiest time for us. That’s when we’re more stressed and most vulnerable. Remember:

Examine the initial email for any red flags. Ask yourself:
- Do I know the sender?
- Is it addressed to me?
- Is it relevant (my file, my customer, my property)?
- Am I expecting it?
- Does it have proper language, punctuations, formatting, signature?
If you can check off those questions, which is rare, click on the link, but ask:
- Is the web page asking me for corporate or other credentials to get what I need?
- How does the sender know my address?
- Would it be smarter to just run away?
If you’re in doubt or uncomfortable with anything about the email, always pick up the phone and call IT before clicking.

Examples of how these emails may look

In examples 1 and 4, if you click on the link, you’ll land on the website with every possible login option, as examples 2 and 5 show. That’s a pretty sneaky way to try and steal information. In examples 3 and 6, once you enter your password, the hacker has access to your email account. If you went all the way through, now would be a good time to reset your password.

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