With the convenience of email and other online avenues for communication, also comes the risk of cyber threats, particularly phishing scams. Phishing scams are fraudulent attempts to obtain sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details, by disguising as a trustworthy entity. Phishing scams often involve emails that appear to be from legitimate sources, such as banks, social media platforms, or even team members in your organization. These emails typically contain urgent requests for personal information, ask you to click on a link that leads to a fake website, or a request to contact your further on other forms of communication. 

Cyber Security and Eye Recommend 

Eye Recommend will only contact you about financial details when it comes to your statements or your standing on your account. We will always contact you with a reference to an exact statement when it comes to financial information. Eye Recommend will contact you via email or phone number we have on file for you. We will always contact you via a "@eyerecommend.ca" email address. Please ensure you check the sender of any emails your receive that may appear to be from Eye Recommend. 

Eye Recommend only accepts payments through direct withdrawal from a bank account, or by credit card. Eye Recommend will ask you to complete our payment form to submit new banking information should you ever need to, and won't accept a change in banking information without its completion. Never give your banking information to anyone without first verifying who is asking for the information. We may also ask for credit card information, but it will always be in reference to a statement. You can always call the Eye Recommend Head office if you have any questions or need verification.

How to Spot a Phishing Scam

• Check the sender's email address: Scammers often use familiar names or companies in their email addresses. Always verify the sender's email address before responding or clicking on any links.
• Look for spelling and grammar errors: Phishing emails often contain spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, or awkward phrasing.
• Avoid clicking on suspicious links: Be sure to hover over links or copy and paste the URL into a note application to see if the link is legitimate.
• Beware of urgent or threatening language: Phishing emails often create a sense of urgency or fear to prompt immediate action. Be cautious of emails that threaten to suspend your account, claim you've won a prize, or demand urgent verification of personal information. Also look for language the urges you to contact them through different channels.
• Verify requests for sensitive information: Legitimate organizations typically don't request sensitive information like passwords or credit card details via email. If in doubt, contact the organization directly through official channels to confirm the request's authenticity. 

Every employee within a practice plays a vital role in maintaining cybersecurity. Everyone on your team should be educated about the various forms of cyber threats, including phishing scams, malware attacks, and social engineering tactics. Regular training sessions and awareness programs can help team members to recognize and respond effectively to potential threats. Additionally, implementing strong password policies and access controls can further bolster the practice's defenses against cyber attacks.