Phone Call Phishing

1. A phone call from “your credit card company” or “financial institution”, typically from someone who works in the “Security and Fraud Department”
2. You are told your card has been flagged for suspicious transactions and you need to prove that you have the card in your possession
3. You are asked to provide the three-digit security code on the back of your payment card, a one-time passcode that was just sent to you, or your PIN

Email Phishing

1. Spelling and grammar errors in the subject line or body of the email
2. Sometimes scammers will include a deadline and threaten account suspension to add urgency to override your normal sense of caution
3. The email address doesn’t match the organization (e.g., irs.net or amazon.mil)
4. The email does not address you by name
5. No contact information. If something feels suspicious, contact your financial institution directly using the phone number on the back of your card
6. Suspicious requests. Visa, like other financial institutions, does not contact cardholders to request their personal account information
7. Suspicious hyperlinks. Avoid clicking on hyperlinks if possible. A single click can cause your computer to become infected with malware

Text Message Phishing

1. There’s a link instead of a phone number to call
2. The text you receive may not contain the name of the bank or any other information
3. The text requests that you log in to your bank account to verify a transaction, enter your PIN, or provide your 3-digit CVV code

Website Phishing

1. There’s something slightly off about the web address or the actual page. Look for misspelled words, substitutions or updated logos
2. An unusual pop-up on the site that requests that you enter your account information
3. There are HTML links that don’t match their destination

Social Media Phishing

1. A friend request from someone you don’t know
2. A post asking you to click on a link that requests personal information