Protecting yourself from phishing: stay one step ahead
Imagine receiving an email that appears to be from your bank, urging you to update your account details or risk losing access. Or, a social media message from a popular brand offering you deal that seems too good to pass up. These are just a few examples of phishing attempts.
Phishing is a type of online scam where cybercriminals try to trick people into sharing sensitive information, such as login credentials, credit card numbers, or personal information, by pretending to be a legitimate company, institution, or even an individual.
Real-life cases of phishing attempts
Recently, there have been several cases of phishing attempts using the VistaCreate brand to trick people into revealing personal information (passwords and credit card numbers) or downloading malware:
Case # 1. YouTube bloggers reached out to VistaCreate’s support after receiving promotional emails that pretended to be from the company. The scammers used a fake domain similar to VistaCreate’s address. Tricky, right? These emails contained attachments with malware that victims could accidentally download and install. The scammers also linked to a fraudulent website, where they offered promotional videos for purchase.
Case # 2. VistaPrint has also faced cybercriminals. Over a hundred Canadians contacted VistaPrint after receiving a message regarding their order. The message claimed they were eligible for a refund or had to make a payment. If they replied, the scammers sent them a link to a fake website.
Your data security is of utmost importance to us. That’s why we want to inform you about these unfortunate incidents and share some tips on protecting yourself from cybercriminals.
How to protect yourself from phishing?
- Carefully review your emails and messages for suspicious details
Check emails and messages for misspellings, grammatical errors, and suspicious email addresses. Legitimate companies usually address you by name and provide specific details about your order, such as the order number or items ordered. In contrast, fraudulent emails often lack personalized information and instead rely on generic details that can be found online, such as the company’s name, branding, and email address.
- Verify the link before clicking on it
Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from unfamiliar or suspicious sources. If in doubt, contact the company directly through trusted channels to confirm the legitimacy of the message.
- Regularly update your operating system, web browsers, and antivirus software
Software updates often include security patches that protect against known vulnerabilities. Enable automatic updates whenever possible to ensure you remain protected.
- Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication
Utilize upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols in your password. Additionally, enable two-factor authentication whenever available, especially for sensitive email, banking, or social media accounts. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second verification step, such as a unique code sent to your phone.
👉 Note that VistaCreate’s official website is create.vista.com. If you receive suspicious emails or messages claiming to be VistaCreate, please contact our support team at [email protected] as soon as possible.
Stay informed and keep cybercriminals at bay!
