Successful startups are known for navigating complex landscapes. While securing funding and building a strong team are critical, safeguarding the organisation from cyber threats is equally important.
Phishing scams and other email-borne attacks pose a significant risk to startups, potentially leading to financial losses and reputational damage. This article outlines seven essential steps that startups can implement to protect themselves from email scams and ensure the security of their data.
Look for red flags
Email scams often have telltale signs. Misspellings, messages sent outside typical business hours, a mismatch between the sender’s email address and the reply-to address, unusual links and attachments, and a sense of urgency all embody the concept of a scam. It is much worse when you have a combination of many of them.
Contact the sender
When you receive suspicious emails purported to be from colleagues, supervisors, and other people in your circle, it is important to reach out to them to confirm their authenticity. Importantly, ensure not to contact them through any link sent in the suspicious email or by the email from which it came.
Check with your IT team
Tech support scams have been very prevalent lately. According to a report, tech support scams were the most widely reported kind of elder fraud in 2023. These emails are made to look like they are from your organisation’s technical department or a tech operator you use on your phone. They may also come as text messages from a telecom service.
Read also: The role of FM in understanding cybersecurity and data protection
Be (even more) wary of phone calls
Cybercriminals have long used email as their weapon of choice. Recently, criminals have relied on fraudulent phone calls to hack into organisations. Always be skeptical of unexpected calls, even if they come from a legitimate-looking contact, and never share confidential information over the phone.
Use multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication usually requires codes, PINs, or fingerprints to log in along with your regulator username and password. Adding an extra layer of security beyond hack-prone passwords makes it far more difficult for cybercriminals to access your email accounts.
Read also: Visa moves to stop payment scams with AI features
Implement stricter payment processes
Review and strengthen your payment approval processes to add checks and balances against fraudulent invoices. Use fingerprint functions, email verifications, and secure passkey to secure your bank accounts and paywalls.
Ignore it
Ultimately, you can avoid falling for many scams by simply ignoring the prompts and moving on. However, for the sake of other employees who may not know to ignore them, speak up and report the problem to the IT team.
