Skip to main content
Support MyPlateau

Tips for Email Safety

Understanding Email Security

Email security refers to the measures taken to protect email accounts and communications from unauthorized access, misuse, and threats. It involves using various tools and practices to ensure that your email remains private and secure.

Why Email Security is Important

Email is a primary mode of communication for both personal and professional use. It often contains sensitive information, such as personal details, financial data, and confidential business communications. Protecting your email helps safeguard this information from being accessed or exploited by malicious actors.

Stay Aware

Recognize threats before they reach your inbox. Learn the telltale signs of phishing attempts.

Spot Phishing Emails

Stay Secure

Use strong passwords and multifactor authentication to protect your accounts.

Password Tips

Stay Protected

Know what to do when you encounter a suspicious email. Report it and stay safe.

Take Action

Why Email is a Big Target

Cybercriminals frequently target email accounts because they can be a gateway to valuable information. By compromising an email account, attackers can:

  • Gain access to personal and financial information.
  • Use the compromised account to send phishing emails.
  • Steal sensitive business data and intellectual property.

Given the importance of email in our daily lives, it's crucial to implement strong security measures to protect your email account from potential threats.

How to Spot Phishing Emails

Spotting phishing emails can be tricky, but some telltale signs can help you identify them:

Check the Sender's Email Address

Phishing emails often come from addresses that look similar to legitimate ones but have slight variations. For example, instead of support@yourbank.com, it might be support@yourb4nk.com.

Look for Generic Greetings

Phishing emails often use generic greetings like "Dear Customer" instead of your actual name. Legitimate companies usually address you by your name.

Beware of Urgent Language

Phishing emails often create a sense of urgency or fear, such as threatening to close your account if you don't respond immediately.

Check Spelling & Grammar

Many phishing emails contain spelling and grammar errors. Legitimate companies usually have professional communication standards.

Hover Over Links

Before clicking on any link, hover your mouse over it to see the actual URL. If it looks suspicious or doesn't match the company's website, don't click on it.

Look for Unusual Attachments

Be cautious of unexpected attachments, especially if they have strange file extensions like .exe, .scr, or .zip.

Verify the Content

If an email asks for personal information or login credentials, be skeptical. Legitimate companies rarely ask for sensitive information via email.

Analyze the Timing

If an email arrives at an unusual time or seems out of context, treat it with extra caution. Legitimate companies rarely send urgent requests outside business hours.

When You Spot a Phishing Email

Don't Click or Download

Avoid interacting with the email in any way. Do not click on any links or download attachments.

Report the Email

Report the email as Junk. This helps train the anti-spam system so it can catch similar emails in the future.

Change Your Passwords

If you suspect that you might have interacted with a phishing email, change your passwords immediately.

Password Security

  • When creating new passwords, one effective method is to make your passwords long and to use passphrases.
  • Avoid common words and phrases that are easily guessable, like "password," "123456," or your name.
  • Avoid reusing passwords across multiple accounts. It only takes one account to get compromised to have access to all your other accounts!
  • A passphrase is a sequence of random words or sentences that is easy to remember but hard to guess.
  • For example, instead of using a short and simple password like "password123," you can use a passphrase like "BlueSky!Mountain$River123." This passphrase is both long and complex, making it much more secure.

Enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA)

  • Adding an extra layer of security can help protect your accounts even if your password is compromised.

Never approve an MFA prompt you didn't request.

If you receive an MFA prompt you didn't request, immediately change your password for the associated account.

You can protect yourself from phishing scams by staying vigilant and following these tips.

Email Settings

Set up your Plateau email on any device or mail client with step-by-step guides.

Email Setup Guides