SCAM OF THE WEEK:

Find the Square Root of Verizon

In a recent scam, cybercriminals impersonated the telecommunications provider, Verizon. The logo for Verizon is the company name, followed by a red asymmetrical “V” that resembles a check mark. Cybercriminals imitated this logo by using mathematical symbols, such as the square root symbol (√). 

Using their fake logo, cybercriminals sent a phishing email that was disguised as a Verizon voicemail notification. The email directs you to click the “Play” button to listen to the voicemail. If you click the button, you are taken to a phony look-alike Verizon webpage. Before you can listen to the voicemail, you are directed to log in to your Microsoft Office 365 account for authentication. Unfortunately, if you enter your credentials, you’ll give the cybercriminals full access to your Microsoft Office 365 account.

Use the tips below to stay safe from similar scams:

• This type of attack isn’t exclusive to Verizon. Cybercriminals could easily use this technique for other brands. Always think before you click.
• Watch out for anything out of the ordinary. A Verizon webpage asking you to log in using your Microsoft Office 365 account is quite unusual.
• If you receive an unexpected notification, open your browser and navigate to the provider’s website. Then, you can log in to your account knowing that you are on the real website and not a phony look-alike website.

Stop, Look, and Think. Don’t be fooled.