Social Engineering Attacks

As you are aware, scammers use many methods to try to obtain your confidential personal and business information. Since firewalls, antivirus software, and passwords are better than ever at protecting your data, the scammers are now using “social engineering” as a way to get around your core security technologies.

What is “Social Engineering”?

Social Engineering involves human interaction between the scammer and a computer user to trick them into either supplying confidential information or into providing direct access to the user’s computer to manually get the information. Typically, social engineering is accomplished either:

  • via a phone call posing as some kind of technical support, or
  • via a phishing Email where they guide the user to click on a link that either infects their computer or brings the user to a fake website that appears to be legitimate.

Please be aware that these types of “social engineering” calls and Emails are happening more frequently, and they target both business and residential computer users (and to their children). Please err on the side of caution whenever a caller presents themselves as some kind of technical support, even if the caller claims to be from Imagine IT. Although Imagine IT does our best to train our clients, one of them was recently hit with a social engineering attack. Luckily they had measures in place and a disaster was averted. When in doubt, hang up and call Imagine IT technical support at (952) 224-2900.

Dangerous Phishing Emails

Please keep in mind that legitimate online institutions will never ask for personal information via email. The best way to avoid becoming a victim of a phishing attempt is to delete email from institutions with which you did not initiate contact. When in doubt, call the institution. If you have been fooled and have provided personal information to the “phisher”, then you are susceptible to identity theft. Immediately change any affected passwords, especially if you use the same password for more than one website, and contact the vendor to potentially cancel your account(s).

Again, when in doubt, please call Imagine IT technical support at (952) 224-2900.

Thank you, and be safe out there!