How to Report Online Scams, Spam Emails and More
By Timothy Tibbetts |
Spam, scams, phishing, drive-by downloads, malware, tech-support scams. Sadly, these are words we're all familiar with. While we can't report everything, imagine we all just wrote once a week. It only takes minutes, and we can do our part to protect our Security on the internet and help others. I feel better already just thinking about it. Bookmark one or two and get involved. We're skipping screenshots for this article to save space and ensure everything is easy to read.
1: Phishing or malicious websites
Phishing is a cyberattack where hackers try to trick you into giving them your personal or financial information. They might send you an email that looks like it's from a legitimate company, but it's a fake. If you click on a link or open an attachment in the email, you might end up on a website that asks you to enter your username, password, credit card number, or other sensitive data.
Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) is the international coalition unifying the global response to cybercrime across the industry. They have a simple, 2-step submission form. You can also forward phishing emails to reportphishing@apwg.org. Anti-Phishing Working Group Phishing Report.
Symantec has done a lot of good for people with their standalone tools and more. They also have a website to report phishing websites. It only takes a few clicks. Symantec Report Suspected Phishing Sites.
Microsoft also has a website where you can mark phishing and malicious websites. It also just takes a few clicks. Report an unsafe site.
US-CERT is a US government page aiming to keep us all safe from incidents, phishing, malware, or vulnerabilities. Six different forms cover all the dangers. Each form is different and varies in the time required. US-CERT Incident Reporting System.
GoDaddy is one of the biggest places to buy and park website domains. This gives them a lot of work to do when they unknowingly host a malicious website. If you know it's a GoDaddy website, they allow you to report spam, scams, and more. GoDaddy Abuse Report.
2: Email-specific spam
One of the best ways to report email spam is to forward it to everybody that counts. They are reportphishing@apwg.org, spam@uce.gov, phishing-report@us-cert.gov, and phish@office365.microsoft.com. to name a few. Reporting helps identify offenders quickly to agencies that monitor that sort of thing, getting the offender on Black Lists.
Most email programs have built-in filters to mark spam—some report it, and some don't. Gmail has built-in spam protection, a guide on marking and reporting spam, and general safety tips. Mark or unmark Spam in Gmail.
The Federal Trade Commission also has a spam and safety website with a lot of information. They make it easy by providing an email address, spam@uce.gov, to forward spam. Forward the email, and at the top of the email message, add "reporting this email as spam." FTC - Spam - Consumer info.
3: Malicious Software Sites
Google has a Safe Browsing page to report the URL of a website that has malicious software. Google Safe Browsing is an excellent place to report those tech support scam websites and other rogue sites masquerading as legit. Google Safe Browsing. They also build that list into the Chrome browser - so you do not have to memorize it.
Edge also has a safe browsing feature built in, but you may need to configure it for higher safety levels.
Kaspersky is another website that does more than one thing. You can upload a file and scan it or test a URL. And don't forget; you could affect the 2020 election too! But, seriously, Kaspersky has done a lot of good, and this is only one example. Kaspersky Virus Desk.
An excellent alternative is Malwarebytes Browser Guard that gives you protection for the Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari browsers.
Of course, we've only scratched the surface. Believe it or not, there are dozens and dozens of websites trying to protect you. Decent Security has a massive list here.
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1: Phishing or malicious websites
Phishing is a cyberattack where hackers try to trick you into giving them your personal or financial information. They might send you an email that looks like it's from a legitimate company, but it's a fake. If you click on a link or open an attachment in the email, you might end up on a website that asks you to enter your username, password, credit card number, or other sensitive data.
Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) is the international coalition unifying the global response to cybercrime across the industry. They have a simple, 2-step submission form. You can also forward phishing emails to reportphishing@apwg.org. Anti-Phishing Working Group Phishing Report.
Symantec has done a lot of good for people with their standalone tools and more. They also have a website to report phishing websites. It only takes a few clicks. Symantec Report Suspected Phishing Sites.
Microsoft also has a website where you can mark phishing and malicious websites. It also just takes a few clicks. Report an unsafe site.
US-CERT is a US government page aiming to keep us all safe from incidents, phishing, malware, or vulnerabilities. Six different forms cover all the dangers. Each form is different and varies in the time required. US-CERT Incident Reporting System.
GoDaddy is one of the biggest places to buy and park website domains. This gives them a lot of work to do when they unknowingly host a malicious website. If you know it's a GoDaddy website, they allow you to report spam, scams, and more. GoDaddy Abuse Report.
2: Email-specific spam
One of the best ways to report email spam is to forward it to everybody that counts. They are reportphishing@apwg.org, spam@uce.gov, phishing-report@us-cert.gov, and phish@office365.microsoft.com. to name a few. Reporting helps identify offenders quickly to agencies that monitor that sort of thing, getting the offender on Black Lists.
Most email programs have built-in filters to mark spam—some report it, and some don't. Gmail has built-in spam protection, a guide on marking and reporting spam, and general safety tips. Mark or unmark Spam in Gmail.
The Federal Trade Commission also has a spam and safety website with a lot of information. They make it easy by providing an email address, spam@uce.gov, to forward spam. Forward the email, and at the top of the email message, add "reporting this email as spam." FTC - Spam - Consumer info.
3: Malicious Software Sites
Google has a Safe Browsing page to report the URL of a website that has malicious software. Google Safe Browsing is an excellent place to report those tech support scam websites and other rogue sites masquerading as legit. Google Safe Browsing. They also build that list into the Chrome browser - so you do not have to memorize it.
Edge also has a safe browsing feature built in, but you may need to configure it for higher safety levels. Kaspersky is another website that does more than one thing. You can upload a file and scan it or test a URL. And don't forget; you could affect the 2020 election too! But, seriously, Kaspersky has done a lot of good, and this is only one example. Kaspersky Virus Desk.
An excellent alternative is Malwarebytes Browser Guard that gives you protection for the Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari browsers.
Of course, we've only scratched the surface. Believe it or not, there are dozens and dozens of websites trying to protect you. Decent Security has a massive list here.
Similar:
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