Privacy Policy

The following describes the Privacy Policy for Advantage Intelligent Marketing website.

Our Privacy Policy Begins with Your Privacy

Your privacy is important to us. To better protect your privacy we provide this privacy policy notice explaining our online information practices and the choices you can make about the way your information is collected and used. You agree to agree to these policies by virtue of using our website in a way that leads to you providing us with personal information.

State Law & Accompanying Rights

Please understand that you may have additional rights originating from State laws based on where you live. These State-based rights may augment, strengthen, or otherwise somehow compliment any privacy rights you have inherently or under Federal law. Our policy is to comply fully with the privacy policies of every jurisdiction in which we operate. Accordingly, you are free to use our Contact information to reach us at any time to assert any State rights.

Our Commitment To Children’s Privacy

Protecting the privacy of the very young is especially important. For that reason, our website will never collect or maintain information at our website from those we actually know are under 18, and no part of our website is structured to attract anyone under 18.

Under our Terms of Service and Conditions of Use, children under 18 are not allowed to use our website and access our services. It is not our intention to offer products or services to minors.

Google Analytics

Advantage Intelligent Marketing uses Google Analytics to help analyze how users use the site. The tool uses “cookies,” which are text files placed on your computer, to collect standard Internet log information and visitor behavior information in an anonymous form. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) is transmitted to Google. This information is then used to evaluate visitors’ use of this website and to compile statistical reports on website activity.

We will never (and will not allow any third party to) use the statistical analytics tool to track or to collect any Personally Identifiable Information of visitors to our site. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. Neither we nor Google will link, or seek to link, an IP address with the identity of a computer user.

You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

Other Collection of Personal Information

When visiting our website, the IP address used to access our website may be logged along with the dates and times of access. This information is purely used to analyze trends, administer our website, track users movement, and gather broad demographic information for internal use such as statistical assessments and website improvement. Most importantly, any recorded IP addresses are not linked to personally identifiable information.

Other information may be collected as well, which is rather typical of most websites. For instance, the source that referred you to our website is generally known. Likewise, your duration on our website, and your destination when you leave our website can also be tracked. Other common data collected includes the type of operating system the computer you are using to access our website has. Similarly, the type of web browser is often noted. Again, this is common data collection, and helps ultimately produce a better end-user experience.

Cookies are another common internet practice. Cookies are a key means of improving user experience by allows us to customize your use of our website. Simple information is transferred to your computer to allow the content and experience to reflect your actions, preferences, and so on. You should simply make the assumption our website uses cookies, and note that you are free to make adjustments in your web browser to disable these or otherwise receive notification of cookies so you can take whatever desired action you so choose. Please understand that refusing cookies may cripple some of our website features and render some aspects useless to you.

At times, you will be fully aware of information received, as you are the direct source providing it. For instance, you may comment on a blog post, reply to an email (whether broadcast message or autoresponder), provide an email address, complete a survey, requests SMS, or otherwise. Likewise, purchases necessarily involve collecting certain information, such as credit card information, billing addresses, your physical address for billing and/or shipping, phone number, and so on. Refusing to provide some of this information may lead to us being unable to provide you with the products or services you’ve requested.

A prime example of limited access to our website is where content may be protected by a username and password. Whether a username and password is generated by our website, or created by you, these will almost always be connected with some other information related to or connected with you. This is true since much content that is protected on the internet is subscription based, often paid for. Thus, the username and password must necessarily be tied to your other account data. Usernames and passwords, by their very nature, should be kept private.

Handling of Personal Information

Note that any personal information you provide to others apart from us or our vendors is wholly optional. As an example, you might disclose something in a blog post comment. That “private” information is now “public,” and we have no control over that. In like fashion, you sharing information with any other third party not functioning as a service provider to us puts that information beyond our control and becomes subject to the privacy policy that party has in place.

Our primary intention for collecting personal and private information from you is simply to conduct our business. We can use this internally to better serve you. Accordingly, we see no reason to share your personal information to other parties and outside interests unless you have authorized us to do so.

Of course, there are instances where your information is stored with third party service providers, such as email service providers, as they provide services that are industry-leading in quality and security and are far more beneficial to our end user than attempting such services “in-house.” However, you are never required to deal with any such third party directly, they are limited in how they use your information, and they cannot sell or transfer it to others in any way.

However, of course, your information does comprise part of an overall whole. This aggregate of information, by contrast, may be used to understand our overall user base. Further, we may share this information about our website visitors as a whole, not individually, with third parties for various purposes, in our sole discretion.

While we are staunch privacy policy advocates, there are times when even we may be forced to abandon these ideals. Just as major search engines face ongoing compulsion to provide data against their will, so too may the same occur with our website. Illegal activity or other serious acts or allegations could create legal liability for our website. In those cases, we reserve the right to share your information, or else may simply be compelled to do so by law.

On the other hand, there may be times when we would need to share your private information in order to protect our own interests. For instance, in cases of suspected or alleged copyright infringement or other intellectual property violations, it may be necessary to share personal information.

Google Adsense and the DoubleClick DART Cookie

Google, as a third party advertisement vendor, may use cookies to serve ads on this website. The use of DART cookies by Google enables them to serve adverts to visitors that are based on their visits to this website, including past visits, as well as other websites on the internet.

To opt out of the DART cookies you may visit the Google ad and content network privacy policy at the following url http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html Tracking of users through the DART cookie mechanisms are subject to Google’s own privacy policies.

Other Third Party ad servers or ad networks may also use cookies to track users activities on this website to measure advertisement effectiveness and other reasons that will be provided in their own privacy policies, our website has no access or control over these cookies that may be used by third party advertisers. However, you can opt out of some, though likely not all, of these cookies in one easy location at http://ww.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp

Links to Third Party Websites

We have included links on this website for your use and reference. We are not responsible for the privacy policies on these websites. You should be aware that the privacy policies of these websites may differ from our own.

Comments Policy

As you know, Web 2.0 is all about the conversation. But without a few simple ground rules, that conversation can turn into a shouting match that discourages others from entering into the fray.

So here is Advantage Intelligent Marketing comments policy. By posting on my blog, you agree to the following:

You may comment without registering. You can log-in via Disqus, OpenID, Twitter, Facebook—or not at all. It’s up to you. You may post anonymously. I don’t recommend this, but you may do so if you wish. I may change this rule if it is abused.
You may post follow-up questions. If you have a question, chances are you are not alone. Others are likely thinking similarly. Therefore, I would rather receive your comments on Advantage Intelligent Marketing than via email. It is a better use of my time to address everyone at once rather than answer several similar emails.
You may disagree with me. I welcome debate. However, I ask that if you disagree with me—or anyone else, for that matter—do so in a way that is respectful. In my opinion, there is way too much shouting in the public square to tolerate it here.
Advantage Intelligent Marketing reserves the right to delete your comments. This is my blog. I don’t have an obligation to publish your comments. The First Amendment gives you the right to express your opinions on your blog not mine. Specifically, I will delete your comments if you post something that is, in my sole opinion, (a)snarky; (b) off-topic; (c) libelous, defamatory, abusive, harassing, threatening, profane, pornographic, offensive, false, misleading, or which otherwise violates or encourages others to violate my sense of decorum and civility or any law, including intellectual property laws; or (d) “spam,” i.e., an attempt to advertise, solicit, or otherwise promote goods and services. You may, however, post a link to your site or your most recent blog post.
You retain ownership of your comments. I do not own them and I expressly disclaim any and all liability that may result from them. By commenting on my site, you agree that you retain all ownership rights in what you post here and that you will relieve me from any and all liability that may result from those postings. You grant Advantage Intelligent Marketing a license to post your comments. This license is worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive, and royalty-free. You grant me the right to store, use, transmit, display, publish, reproduce, and distribute your comments in any format, including but not limited to a blog, in a book, a video, or presentation.

In short, my goal is to host interesting conversations with caring, honest, and respectful people. I believe this simple comments policy will facilitate this.

CHANGE NOTICE: As with any of our administrative and legal notice pages, the contents of this page and/or our privacy policy can and will change over time. Accordingly, this page could read differently as of your very next visit. These changes are necessitated, and carried out by Advantage Intelligent Marketing, in order to protect you and our Advantage Intelligent Marketing website. If this page and our privacy policy is important to you, you should check back frequently as no other notice of changed content will be provided either before or after the change takes effect.

COPYRIGHT WARNING: The legal notices and administrative pages on this website, including this one, have been diligently drafted by an attorney. We at Advantage Intelligent Marketing have paid to license the use of these legal notices and administrative pages on Advantage Intelligent Marketing for your protection and ours. This material may not be used in any way for any reason and unauthorized use is policed via Copyscape to detect violators.

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS/CONCERNS: If you have any questions about our privacy policy or the contents of this page, or simply wish to reach us for any other reason, you may do so by following this link: https://advantageintelligent.com/

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General Advice

Phishing 101: The Art of Hooking Victims & How You Can Stay Off the Hook

by Jeff Dennings | Oct 26, 2024

Let me tell you about a time when I almost got phished. It was an ordinary Tuesday morning, and my inbox was overflowing with messages—newsletters I didn’t remember subscribing to, promotional offers, and, of course, the occasional work email. Then, there it was: an email from “Netflix.” Apparently, my account had been suspended, and if I didn’t act fast to verify my payment details, I’d be stuck in a world without TV binges. Horror of horrors!

The email looked official enough. The logo was there, the message had that air of urgency, and the email address was, well, close enough to “support@netflix.com” for me not to question it. My finger was hovering over the link when I paused. Something felt off. A momentary lapse of paranoia—or perhaps divine intervention—had me inspect the email more closely. The grammar was a bit wonky, the email address was slightly suspect, and Netflix had never emailed me with a subject line that panicked. I dodged the bullet, but it got me thinking: how many other people fell for this?

As it turns out, phishing is big business, and like fishing, it involves bait, patience, and some very tricky methods to hook unsuspecting victims.

So, let’s dive in (pun intended) and learn about phishing—the cybercrime that’s part art, part science, and all about deception.

What Is Phishing?

Phishing is a type of cyber attack where criminals send fraudulent messages, usually through email, pretending to be from reputable companies or trusted entities. Their goal? To trick you into giving up sensitive information like passwords, credit card numbers, or even your identity.

What makes phishing so dangerous is how clever it can be. Attackers study their targets carefully, learning what will make their emails look believable. This isn’t some crude scheme from a cyberpunk novel—phishing attacks are incredibly sophisticated, and falling for them can happen to anyone.

A Fishing Tackle Box of Techniques

Phishers are like professional anglers; they have various tricks in their tackle box to reel you in. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular phishing techniques used by cybercriminals today:

1. Email Phishing: The Classic Hook

Email phishing is the most common form of phishing and has been around since the early days of the internet. The premise is simple: the attacker sends you an email disguised as a legitimate company or institution (like your bank, an e-commerce site, or even a streaming service like Netflix).

How It Works:

You receive a convincing email that urges you to take immediate action—whether that’s updating your account details, confirming a purchase, or even downloading an important document.
The email often contains a link that redirects you to a fake website designed to look identical to the legitimate one. When you enter your login or payment information, you’re actually handing it over to the phisher.

Common Features:

An email that looks legitimate but has minor errors, such as misspelled company names or grammatical issues.
Urgency to act immediately, like a subject line saying “Your account has been compromised!”
A sense of panic designed to make you act quickly without thinking.

2. Spear Phishing: When the Fish Gets Personal

Spear phishing is a more targeted and personalized attack. Rather than sending out thousands of generic phishing emails, the attacker chooses a specific person or organization to trick.

How It Works:

The attacker gathers information about you from social media, public records, or data breaches. Then they send a highly tailored email, making it seem like it’s from someone you know or a service you trust.
Because the email looks so personal—addressing you by name, referencing recent transactions, or even mimicking the writing style of someone you regularly communicate with—it’s far easier to fall for.

Common Features:

Use of personal details like your name, job title, or recent activity to make the email feel genuine.
Often poses as a co-worker, friend, or family member, increasing the likelihood of trust.

3. Clone Phishing: The Evil Twin

Clone phishing involves duplicating an actual, legitimate email that you’ve previously received, but with a malicious twist. The attacker takes an old, real email (like a shipping confirmation or an invitation to an event) and replaces any links or attachments with malicious ones.

How It Works:

The attacker sends you what looks like an exact replica of an email from a trusted source.
Any links or attachments in the email have been altered to redirect you to malicious websites or download harmful files.

Common Features:

Looks like a legitimate email you’ve received before, making it difficult to detect.
Small changes in links or attachments that go unnoticed until it’s too late.

4. Whaling: Big Fish, Bigger Risks

Whaling is like spear phishing but on a much larger scale. Instead of targeting individuals or employees, this form of attack is aimed at high-profile executives or decision-makers within a company. The stakes are much higher in whaling, as the attackers seek to compromise sensitive company information or facilitate large financial transactions.

How It Works:

The attacker pretends to be a trusted business associate or senior executive, sending emails to key employees that appear legitimate.
These emails typically instruct employees to wire money or provide access to sensitive corporate systems.

Common Features:

Highly sophisticated and well-researched to target executives.
Often lacks the tell-tale signs of regular phishing attacks like poor grammar or sloppy visuals.

5. Vishing: The Voice of Deception

Phishing doesn’t always come through email. Vishing, or voice phishing, uses phone calls to trick individuals into giving up personal information. In these attacks, scammers may pose as technical support, government agencies, or even law enforcement, using fear and urgency to manipulate you into compliance.

How It Works:

You receive a call from someone claiming to be from a legitimate company or institution.
The caller pressures you into revealing personal details or transferring money under the guise of resolving a fabricated issue (e.g., your bank account has been compromised).

Common Features:

Caller ID spoofing to make the call appear legitimate.
High-pressure tactics designed to confuse and fluster you into complying.

6. Smishing: A Text Too Far

Smishing, or SMS phishing, is similar to email phishing, except the message arrives via text. With people increasingly managing banking, shopping, and communications through their phones, smishing has become a popular way for phishers to get personal information.

How It Works:

You receive a text message claiming to be from a trusted entity, such as your bank, a shipping company, or even a family member.
The message contains a link that, once clicked, takes you to a fake website where you’re asked to enter sensitive information.

Common Features:

A text message that seems urgent or alarming, prompting you to act immediately.
Links that, once clicked, compromise your personal data or install malware on your device.

7. Pharming: The Ghost in the Website

Pharming is a bit more complex than traditional phishing. Instead of tricking users into clicking a fake link, pharming redirects traffic from legitimate websites to fraudulent ones, often without the user realizing it.

How It Works:

A hacker compromises a legitimate website or a user’s DNS (Domain Name System) settings, causing users to be redirected to malicious sites.
Users may think they’re entering login information on a familiar site when, in fact, they’re giving their credentials to cybercriminals.

Common Features:

Hard to detect, as everything seems legitimate.
Redirection to a fake website without the user’s knowledge.

How to Stay Off the Hook

Now that you know the different phishing techniques, how do you avoid being the next victim? Here are some tips to help you stay safe:

Be Skeptical: Always question the legitimacy of unexpected emails, phone calls, or texts, especially those asking for personal or financial information.
Verify the Sender: Check the sender’s email address or phone number carefully. Slight alterations (like an extra letter or number) can be a red flag.
Hover Before You Click: Hover over links to see where they lead before clicking. If the URL looks suspicious or doesn’t match the company’s official site, don’t click it.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Add an extra layer of security to your accounts by enabling 2FA, which can prevent hackers from accessing your information even if they get your password.
Use Strong, Unique Passwords: Avoid using the same password for multiple accounts. A password manager can help keep track of complex, unique passwords for each service you use.
Keep Software Updated: Ensure your operating system, antivirus software, and apps are up-to-date with the latest security patches to help protect against phishing attacks.

To wrap this up…

Phishing is a constantly evolving threat, and while the techniques used by cybercriminals continue to grow more sophisticated, the best way to avoid getting caught is to stay informed and vigilant. Understanding the different types of phishing attacks and how to identify them is the first step toward protecting yourself—and your data—from becoming a phisher’s next big catch.

← Previous Article Next Article →

Locking the Vault – The Importance of Strong Passwords and How to Make Them Stick

by Jeff Dennings | Nov 13, 2024

Imagine this: you’re at a coffee shop, trying to log in to your online banking, when it hits you—what was the password again? You try “password123” (nope), then “mydogfido” (still nope). After a few failed attempts and a mounting sense of dread, you finally type in...

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Phishing 101: The Art of Hooking Victims & How You Can Stay Off the Hook

What Is Phishing?

A Fishing Tackle Box of Techniques

1. Email Phishing: The Classic Hook

How It Works:

Common Features:

2. Spear Phishing: When the Fish Gets Personal

How It Works:

Common Features:

3. Clone Phishing: The Evil Twin

How It Works:

Common Features:

4. Whaling: Big Fish, Bigger Risks

How It Works:

Common Features:

5. Vishing: The Voice of Deception

How It Works:

Common Features:

6. Smishing: A Text Too Far

How It Works:

Common Features:

7. Pharming: The Ghost in the Website

How It Works:

Common Features:

How to Stay Off the Hook

To wrap this up…

Related Articles

Locking the Vault – The Importance of Strong Passwords and How to Make Them Stick

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