Phishing Attacks

Microsoft 365 email is very secure and Microsoft works tirelessly to stop hackers. At Databais we also work hard to prevent hackers from bothering you through using SPF, DKIM and DMARC. The sad truth however is that criminals are working just as hard at finding ways around all the security we have in place. It is therefore also your responsibility to be vigilant when it comes to email security because the only way the hackers can really get access is if you give them the power by filling in your details when they ask you to via a phishing email.

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Phishing attacks are real.

Fraudster email attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated – often appearing to be sent from a business, organization, or individual the victim regularly communicates with.

Signs to look for your account may have been compromised include:

  • Not receiving new emails you are expecting
  • Emails in your sent folder were not sent by you
  • An Out of Office message has been turned on that you did not set up

If you think you may have fallen victim to a scam, immediately contact your IT support team / support@databias.co.za

  • Reset your user username and password
  • Disable any forwarding rules or rules that move messages to the deleted folder
  • Screen your computer and network for malware

We encourage you to be vigilant. Emails containing hyperlinks or attachments that require actions by you should be carefully vetted before proceeding. If you are unsure if an email you received is legitimate, do not click on any links, attachments, or provide any information especially financial information.

What can I do to make my emails look less like spam?

Sometimes, your mail will end up in your recipient’s spam or junk box, and they will not see your mail. This can sometimes lead to missed deadlines etc, so here is some guidelines to ensure that your mail does not get marked as spam

  • Don’t use all caps anywhere in your email or its subject line.
  • Don’t leave subject line blank.
  • Don’t use exclamation points!!!!!
  • Don’t use video, Flash, or JavaScript within your email.
  • Don’t use spam trigger words. Here is a link that shows common spam trigger words.
  • Don’t use a red font when drafting your emails.
  • Don’t forget to use spell check.
  • Don’t use an overwhelming number of images, or huge images.
  • Do keep emails short.
  • Don’t insert odd characters or tabs in the subject line or body.

People are telling me my mail is going to their junk folder?

If your mail is being incorrectly flagged as spam by your recipient’s ISP or Outlook please consider the following options:

  • Ask your email recipients to whitelist your email address in Outlook using the Outlook junk mail preferences.
  • Ask your email recipients to whitelist your email address using their ISP’s control panel (if this functionality exists for them to do so).
  • Craft your emails to be less spam like:
    • Don’t shout using ALL CAPS, especially in subject lines.
    • Don’t only send images in email without any text whatsoever.
    • Don’t send executable attachments in your emails.
    • Don’t use offensive language or words in your emails.

If you are still having problems sending email to certain recipients please open a support request and one of our engineers will look into the issue for you.

I have received a spam email – what now?

Unfortunately, spam is a fact of life and all spam email should obviously just be deleted. In order to ensure that you do not receive the same email again you can log into the Dcentral control panel and add the sender address to your personal list of spam addresses.

Exchange / 365 mailboxes can add additional licensing in order to mitigate the spam they receive.

If you feel you are receiving way too much spam please log a support request so a member of our team can investigate.