Phishing is a type of attack carried out in order to steal information or money. Phishing attacks can occur through email, phone calls, texts, instant messaging, or social media. Attackers are after your personal information: usernames, passwords, credit card information, Social Security numbers. However, they are also after intellectual property, research data, and institutional information. Phishing scams can have several goals, including:
- Stealing from victims - modifying direct deposit information, draining bank accounts.
- Performing identity theft - running up charges on credit cards, opening new accounts.
- Purchasing items - buying gift cards, tricking victims into working on their behalf.
- Getting victims to act - clicking on malicious links, installing malware on their devices.