Due to the amount of information exposed on the network, identity theft in Gmail is a very common case. This can be given for different reasons, which seek to deceive those who receive these emails.
They are created to share confidential information online, which can be of any kind. It is possible that emails with viruses that collect information from the computer that are of a confidential nature may be found.
There is a way to avoid or report this, making the use of Gmail more secure and reliable for its users.
How to avoid and report phishing emails
Care should be taken with messages from sites that ask for personal information. If you receive these emails, you should not provide what is requested there until you are sure that it is a legitimate site.
The first thing to do is to open the site from another window instead of clicking on the link in the email. Keep in mind that Google will never send unsolicited messages asking for passwords or personal information.
Therefore, identity theft in Gmail is easy to identify, you just have to be attentive to the signs. On many occasions, these messages are taken to the “Spam” folder.
However, when this does not occur, it is important to avoid and defend against phishing. There are tools in Google (such as its Technical Support) in which complaints can be made easily.
It is important to check that the email address and the name of the sender match. You can also check if the email is authenticated and thus its accurate content can be verified.
If it contains access links, you can hover over them without clicking the URL. If your description doesn’t match, there may be a spoof.
By reviewing the message headers, you can check if the “from” header is not misnamed. Similar to cases of fake emails on an iPhone, the solutions are quite easy to establish.
What can happen when a phishing occurs in Gmail?
Through advertisements or supposed emails from sites that you are used to using, these cases of impersonation can occur. These can request information regarding bank accounts, social networks and even contain links full of viruses.
Opening the Gmail account from an Android device could also compromise information contained on that device. Emails requesting personal information may ask for:
- Usernames, passwords or request password changes.
- Number of personal identification.
- Bank account numbers.
- PIN (Personal Identification Numbers).
- Credit card numbers.
- Bank account challenge questions.
- Date of Birth.
If you receive these emails, they should be deleted immediately since Google will never issue these emails. If it is considered that the Gmail account is at risk, it is important to go to Google’s security tools.
There, you will find the options to report the compromised account, which should be done immediately. Otherwise, the hacked or phishing account could be used to affect others.
If you have suffered this mishap, it is recommended to notify other people with whom you have constant dealings by Gmail. Well, they could receive these emails from your account and thus also become part of those who deceive.
Failure to attack these cases immediately can put you at a complete identity disadvantage. Well, whoever has the information provided would have access to different accounts or confidential information.
