How Phishing is Like a Home Invasion

Phishing of course is when you receive a fraud based email designed to trick you into clicking links and entering your personal information. In some cases when clicking those links you may download a virus. Their intention is to bypass your computers security.

Phishing is emerging as sophisticated due to ways in which the phish emails are disguised to look like legitimate communications often from other trusted employees on the inside or companies you may do business with.

The criminals behind these emails are doing their research on company websites finding key individuals to model and following up their research on Facebook and LinkedIn to make their phish emails more personal.

And while criminals are still targeting “whales” or CEOs of major corporations and their officers, they are using similar attacks on consumers, as well.

Home invaders are using similar tactics to stalk their prey. You receive a knock on the door, and the minute you open it, like clicking a link, you’re vulnerable. Their intention is to bypass your home security alarm by getting you to open the door.

Home invaders use some ruse like they are from the gas company or making a delivery or some may lie that their car broke down. All of these methods prey upon your trusting of another person or business that you may have a relationship with.

Home invaders do their research. They watch you on social media, they look up basic information and they often target the head of the household.

Protecting yourself from phishing or home invasions comes down to one fundamental principle: Don’t automatically trust or believe that whoever is contacting you in any form has good intentions. We trust by nature, and that’s great, but not allowing yourself to question others intentions set you up to fail.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to  Home Security Source discussing ADT Pulse on Fox News Live. Disclosures

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