Scams & Staying Safe
Part 1: Phishing Scams
A phishing scam is when an attacker will send you an email pretending to be someone you trust. They are trying to get your username, password or other sensitive information.
What does a phishing email look like?
A phishing email might be sent from a long, unrecognisable email address.
A phishing email might contain spelling mistakes, so look carefully.
An attacker might not know your name, so they will use your email address.
Check any links carefully, if it looks suspicious, don't click it.
Phishing emails try to rush you into making a silly decision. Don't panic and read the email carefully.
Part 2: Secure webpages
When you are browsing the web, you should stick to websites that you know and trust. Don't click on any links that you don't recognise, especially from strangers.
How do i know a web page is secure?
HTTP is a protocol (set of rules) for displaying a web page.
​
If the web address at the top of your web browser starts with HTTP then it is not secure.
​
Do not enter any personal information on an insecure web page.
HTTPS is a protocol (set of rules) for displaying a secure web page.
If you see a padlock in the address bar of your web browser then you know it is safer to enter information.
Part 3: Strong passwords
Your passwords must be secure so they cannot be broken easily.
How to choose a strong password:
*********
Passwords should be more than at least 8 characters long.
Passwords should use numbers and punctuation marks.
Aa Bb Cc
Dd Ee
Passwords should use uppercase and lowercase letters.
You should use a different password for each account that you have.
Passwords should not use words found in the dictionary.