I’m a security expert – my three rules are essential to stop ‘silent bank raid’ you’ll never see coming

THREE rules could save you from a dangerous online scam that drains your bank.

A leading cyber expert has revealed how to protect yourself from sinister phishing attacks.

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There are countless ways criminals can target you online.

But one of the most common tricks is the so-called phishing.

This is a common type of scam that takes many forms, is easy to create, and strikes at any time.

Now McAfee cyber expert Jasdev Dhaliwal has revealed exactly how to protect yourself from these attacks.

“Phishing scams are a type of scam that send emails or other messages that appear to come from a legitimate source,” said Jasdev, security researcher and director of marketing at McAfee.

“The purpose of these messages is to trick users into revealing personal information such as passwords, credit card numbers, and bank account details.”

The trouble for gadget users is that phishing tries to make it so you don’t realize you’ve been scammed.

A scam can show up in your email inbox, even in a trusted app like Google Gmail or Microsoft Outlook.

Or maybe it comes to your iPhone or Android via SMS.

The idea is that you give the information or cash voluntarily – and only then realize what you’ve done when it’s too late.

Once a scammer has your money or data, it can be very difficult or even impossible to get it back.

That’s why McAfee cyber experts urge users to spot the signs of a scam before it’s too late.

Three rules to protect yourself from phishing

Jasdev’s first rule is to make sure you’re always skeptical of strange communications.

“Be suspicious of any email or message that looks suspicious, even if it appears to be from a legitimate source,” Jasdev warned.

If something seems threatening, urgent, or too good to be true, it’s worth stopping and considering whether it’s a scam.

The second rule is to triple check who is actually sending the message.

“Check the source of an email or message before replying,” Jasdev explained.

Scammers can be very adept at impersonating other people.

Check the email domain, phone number and web address very carefully.

And consider going to an organization’s official website and contacting them directly to verify a message isn’t a scam.

If a text message appears to be from a family member, call them and verify that the message is really from them.

And the third rule to follow is to make sure you don’t share any private information.

“Never provide personal information in response to an email or message,” Jasdev said.

If someone really needs your information for something important, contact them directly and review the request.

It is unlikely that an official organization would suddenly request highly sensitive information via email or SMS.