058 - Check Before Clicking Email Links
“Fraudulent emails often imitate banks, delivery companies, or healthcare providers. Instead of clicking links in emails, visit the organization’s website directly or call them using a trusted number.”
Opening up your computer to check the morning news or look for an update on a package delivery should be a peaceful routine. Unfortunately, our email inboxes have become a bit of a minefield lately, filled with messages that look incredibly important but are actually wolves in sheep's clothing.
Scammers have become experts at mimicking the exact look, logos, and wording of companies we use every day. You might get an email that appears to be from your bank warning you about a locked account, a delivery service claiming they missed you, or a healthcare provider asking you to review a bill. They use these familiar names because they want to startle you into clicking a link without thinking.
Clicking one of these bad links can quietly take you to a fake website designed to steal your passwords or banking information. It is completely natural to feel overwhelmed by how realistic these emails look, but you can completely disarm them by changing how you navigate the internet.
You don't need to be a technology expert to stay safe; you just need to bypass the email altogether.
Here is a straightforward rule of thumb to protect your accounts:
Treat email links as read-only: Use the email purely as a notice, not a doorway. If your "bank" emails you about a problem, do not click the link inside the message.
Go directly to the source: Close your email, open your internet browser, and type in the bank or company web address that you already know and trust.
Pick up the phone: If you aren't sure of the website, use the phone number printed on the back of your credit card or a past paper statement to call them directly.
Taking an extra thirty seconds to look things up on your own terms keeps you in the driver’s seat and keeps your private information completely secure.
What Now
If you or an elder you care for has mistakenly clicked a suspicious email link, entered sensitive credentials on a doubtful website, or suspects a phishing attempt has compromised their security, take these immediate actions:
Disconnect from the Internet Immediately: If you clicked a link and think malware was downloaded, or if your device is behaving strangely, turn off your Wi-Fi or unplug your internet cable. Disconnecting blocks scammers from remotely controlling your device or continuing to drain sensitive data.
Change Your Passwords from a Secure Device: Using a completely different, uncompromised device (like a trusted family member's phone or a library computer), immediately update the passwords to your critical accounts. Prioritize your email, online banking, and health portal logins, and ensure you use a strong, unique password for each.
Notify Your Financial Institutions: Call the fraud department of your bank and credit card issuers using the phone numbers listed on the back of your physical cards or a past paper statement. Request that they freeze the accounts, monitor for unauthorized charges, and reissue your cards if any banking data was entered.
Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: Reach out to the nonprofit specialists at 877-908-3360 for free, empathetic, one-on-one guidance. They can help older adults and caregivers process the emotional panic of an incident, verify whether a communication was a scam, and help organize a step-by-step recovery strategy.
Report the Phishing Attempt to Federal Authorities: Document the scam to help protect others by forwarding the deceptive email to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org. Afterward, file an official report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and, if financial details were exposed, create a recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov.
Local Resources
Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities of Southwest Washington https://helpingelders.org/
(360) 735-5720
Clark County Volunteer Lawyers Program https://ccvlp.org/
(360) 695-5313
YWCA Clark County https://ywcaclarkcounty.org
(360) 695-0501
