Top 7 email fraud prevention tips for a Cyber Safe Business

Online fraudsters are increasingly targeting small-and medium-sized businesses in India. Their objective may be to access classified business data (yours or your customers'), obtain banking information, commit identity theft, or even stalk employees.

Common tactics include:

• Spam - Email sent without permission of the sender.
• Phishing - Spam that pretends to be from a company, financial institution or government agency.
• Trojan horse - A malicious program hiding within an attractive offer.

Fortunately, there are simple Cyber Safe Business anti-fraud practices that anyone can use:

1. Be suspicious of any phone calls, visits, or emails from strangers asking about employees, their families and sensitive business matters.
2. Always be cautious of emails that: Make offers that sound too good to be true. Request that you click on a link in the message. Ask for your personal information.
3. Always report any suspicious activity to your IT professional.
4. If a suspicious email appears to be from a recognized organization or client, contact them directly (not as a reply) to ask if they sent the email.
5. If your business may have lost or revealed sensitive information, take immediate security action, such as contacting your bank.
6. Report the incident to the police 
7. When in doubt, ask your IT professional or colleague for help.

If you or anybody in your business receives a suspicious email, don't reply or click on any links or attachments in the email. The best thing you can do is delete the email from your inbox. Never forward a suspicious email.