I wanted to say this was a slightly more clever than that average phishing email but I can’t. Of the “legal repercussions” style of phishing emails, the FTC voicemail one was better. Still, it deserves to be mentioned. Let’s take a look at it and then tear it apart:
From: American Express MyCredit Guide <noreply@mycredit-guide.americanexpress.com> reply-to: American Express MyCredit Guide <noreply@mycredit-guide.americanexpress.com> Date: Thu, 4 Jan 2024 09:38:30 -0600 (CST) Subject: Your credit limit has been exceeded To: Clueless Phish <cluelessphish@example.com> One of your credit cards is over its limit Card over limit You've exceeded your card limit Review your credit file LOG IN Dear CLUELESS PHISH, Your credit file has been updated. What does this mean? One of your credit cards is over its maximum limit. Spending more than your credit limit allows can negatively impact your FICO® Score, particularly if you allow it to carry over in to future months. What should you do next? Log in to your account to review your credit file. If you don't recognize this activity, or need further assistance, please reach out to us at 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX. Sincerely, MyCredit Guide
Identifying this phishing email
- Let’s start with the basics: do you have an American Express credit card? If not, why should you be receiving an email from them saying you are exceeding a card limit? “Maybe they are warning me about another card?” Well, then, I will take your bait: this would work if you have subscribed to the “American Express MyCredit Guide”. Have you? Great, go to the next bullet point. I haven’t, so I would call this what it is – phishign email – and treat it as it deserves.
- So let’s say you do have subscribed to the “American Express MyCredit Guide” service. Fine. Then don’t click on the email link and log into that site. And see if it actually reports something unusal. It does? Great, go address it. It does not? Great, so you know what this email is.
- Is that phone number legit? I don’t know; I do not have that service. But, I would expect if I went to the real “American Express MyCredit Guide” website (and, no, I am not going to bother looking for it), I would find their official phone number.