CyberSafe at USPS™ presents best practices for identifying and avoiding phishing schemes. Did you recently receive an offer for a free vacation or win a giveaway sweepstakes? Think before you click!
Hackers often use similar schemes to steal personal or business information for their gain or profit. These schemes, known as phishing attempts, can greatly compromise your professional or personal well-being.
CyberSafe at USPS is highlighting key tips and best practices to identify and avoid phishing attempts when navigating your personal and business inboxes.
When receiving an email from an unknown sender, be cautious of messages that include:
n Giveaways, sweepstakes, or special promotional offers (especially near major holidays);
n Offers for free or discounted vacations;
n Solicitations for charity donations; or
n Requests for personal information in response to natural disasters, epidemics, health scares, or major political elections.
These communications may be phishing attempts aimed to steal your personal or USPS® information.
To identify and avoid phishing scams, consider the following steps when reviewing an email:
n Assess the sender. Make sure you recognize the sender or the email address.
n Check for errors. Mistakes in grammar or spelling can indicate a phishing attempt.
n Question attachments and links. Consider what you are opening and make sure it’s from a reliable source.
After identifying a phishing trap, avoid clicking on embedded links or attachments and report the message to the Cybersecurity Operations Center (CSOC) by attaching the suspicious message to a new email and sending it to CyberSafe@usps.gov.
It’s important to remain cautious when communicating online. “When you’re online it’s important to stop and think before you click on links in emails and open attachments or give out personal information,” said Deputy Chief Information Security Officer, Gregory Crabb.
The CyberSafe at USPS website (https:⁄⁄liteblue.usps.gov⁄cyber) includes additional helpful tips to spot phishing scams.
For more information about staying safe online and avoiding phishing attempts, visit the Department of Homeland Securiy Stop. Think. Connect.™ website: http:⁄⁄www.dhs.gov⁄stopthinkconnect-cyber-tips.
Identifying and avoiding phishing traps is a top priority for USPS employees, suppliers, and customers — don’t take the bait! By keeping our personal and business email accounts secure, we all can proactively safeguard our personal and USPS information.
As a community, information security is our shared responsibility, so stay CyberSafe!
— Corporate Information Security Office,
Chief Information Officer, 7-7-16
