You probably know about phishing attempts. Criminals send out thousands of email in an attempt to get someone to click on a link or open an attachment. Worse are spear phishing attempts were the criminal has taken data from your social network and customized an email that is an attempt to again get you to be fooled by links and attachments.

Spear phishing is where things get personal and the criminal attacks an individual using information they’ve collected about them. According to a 2015 National CounterIntelligence and Security Center (NCSC) presentation, 47 percent of adult Americans had been the victim of a security breach in the past three years and 91 percent of those victims had fallen prey to spear phishing.

Here are six warning signs:

1) Asking for Personal Information is a Red Flag: Few (if any) websites, banks or businesses will ask you for confidential personal information, or financial information, in an e-mail.

2) Check the Sender’s E-Mail Address: Even if the e-mail itself looks legitimate, that address often stands out as being questionable.

3) Watch for Links and Attachments: The objective of a phishing attack is usually to get you to download an attachment, or to click on a link. Use extreme caution with attachments.

4) Typos Are a Red Flag: One of the easiest ways to spot an e-mail sent as part of a phishing attack is typos.

5) When In Doubt, Contact the Supposed Sender: If you’re not expecting the e-mail, pick up the phone and call the originating company’s customer service, or send an e-mail directly to their customer service to verify they sent it.

6) Install Security Software and Be Smart About Passwords: Keep your security software up to date and use different passwords for each website you have to log into.

Follow these steps and you should be safe from phishing attacks.

Source: Forbes