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Best Practices When Falling Victim To Phishing Scams

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Summary: This article provides essential steps for securing your Tithely account and recovering from a phishing scam. Learn how to immediately limit damage, secure your devices, report the incident, and restore your account's security.

Before You Begin

  • Access to a separate, uncompromised device (if malware is suspected).
  • Information regarding any compromised accounts, exposed financial details, or suspicious emails received.
  • Access to reputable antivirus and anti-malware software.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Disconnect your Device from the Internet.
    If you clicked on a suspicious link or downloaded an attachment, immediately disconnect your device (unplug the Ethernet cable or turn off Wi-Fi) to prevent malware from spreading or sensitive data from being transmitted.
     
  2. Change your Passwords across all compromised and related accounts.
    • Change the password for the compromised account (e.g., your email password if targeted by email phishing).
    • Change passwords for any other accounts where you used the same or similar password to prevent credential-stuffing attempts on popular sites.
    • Use strong, unique passwords for each account (consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords securely).

       

  3. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) / Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
    Turn on 2FA/MFA on all online accounts where available to add a second layer of verification (such as a code sent to your phone) even if a password is compromised.

     

  4. Scan your Devices for malware.
    Run a full scan using reputable antivirus and anti-malware software on any device used to access the compromised account or affected links. If software is needed, download it from a trusted source using a different, uncompromised device if necessary.

     

  5. Back Up your Files securely.
    After scanning for malware, back up your important files to an external hard drive or cloud storage in case remediation steps require wiping or resetting your device.

     

  6. Contact Affected Organizations immediately:
    • Banks & Financial Institutions: Contact your bank and credit card companies if financial information was exposed so they can monitor for suspicious activity, freeze cards, and help reverse fraudulent transactions.
    • Email Providers & Other Services: Contact customer support for any compromised online account.
    • Impersonated Companies: Inform the organization that was impersonated in the phishing email so they can issue warnings to other customers.
       
  7. Monitor your Accounts for suspicious activity:
    • Regularly check bank and credit card statements for unauthorized transactions.
    • Review all online accounts (email, social media, shopping) for unusual logins, setting changes, or activity.
    • Consider enrolling in a credit monitoring service to receive alerts if new accounts are opened in your name.

       

  8. Place a Fraud Alert on your Credit Report.
    Contact one of the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion) to place a free 90-day fraud alert on your credit report, making it harder for identity thieves to open new accounts.

     

  9. Report the Incident to relevant security and law enforcement organizations:
    • Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Report the scam at ReportFraud.ftc.gov to get a recovery plan (especially if money was lost or identity theft is suspected).
    • Email Provider: Forward phishing messages to your email provider (e.g., Google or Outlook) so they can block similar scams.
    • Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG): Forward phishing emails directly to reportphishing@apwg.org.
    • Local Law Enforcement: File a police report if you suffered significant financial loss or identity theft.
       
  10. Implement Long-Term Prevention habits:
    • Educate Yourself: Stay informed on phishing tactics, exercise caution with unsolicited emails, texts, or phone calls, and always verify requests for personal information.
    • Keep Software Updated: Ensure your operating system, web browser, and applications are up to date to receive critical security patches.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

  • What if I cannot log in to change my compromised account password? Contact the support team for that specific service provider immediately to verify your identity, report the account take-over, and initiate account recovery.
     
  • Should I back up my files before or after running an anti-malware scan? Always run a malware scan before backing up your files to ensure you do not inadvertently transfer infected files to your backup drive or cloud storage.

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