Social Engineering

Rev. 9-2025

What is Social Engineering?

Social engineering is any attempt to trick you into giving confidential information or performing actions you should not.

It can be carried out through:

  • Phone calls
  • Regular mail
  • In person
  • Email
  • Online platforms

Best Practices to Protect Yourself

  1. Know beyond a shadow of a doubt who you are dealing with.

  2. Watch for Red Flags in all correspondence:

    • Does it instill fear or concern?
    • Does it prey on greed?
    • Does it invoke curiosity and take advantage of real-life events?
    • Does it prey on emotions?

      Tip: If any of these are present, stop immediately and verify using an alternate method.

  3. Never accept unsolicited help on your computer, including:

    • Pop-ups
    • Phone calls
    • Emails
    • Text messages

Email is still the most common method used to trick you.

Email Red Flags

  • Is it an unexpected email?
  • Did you provide the sender your email?
  • Is it personalized or generic?
  • Are there typos, misspellings, or inconsistent fonts?
  • Is the information accurate (e.g., names, account numbers)?
  • Does the email make sense and flow logically?
  • Was the email sent to multiple recipients?

Action: If you have any concerns, call the sender directly using a verified contact method to confirm legitimacy.

Additional Notes

  • Be aware that social engineering scams are increasingly AI-generated, including emails, texts, and even phone calls that mimic real people.
  • Always pause, evaluate, and verify before sharing information or taking action.

If you’d like a PDF of this article: Social-Engineering-2025