Think before you click
Most break-ins start with one email. Learn the five signs.
Checklist · Scams and email
I clicked a link. Now what?
Act fast and tell IT right away. You are not in trouble: the first 15 minutes matter more than anything else.
Free to print and share
One page, US Letter, in color. Tick the boxes and type on the lines right in your browser or PDF reader, then save or print it.
Filling in online works in Chrome, Edge, Safari and Adobe Reader. Your answers stay on your computer.
Want all 34? Get the whole pack by email or browse the library.
What's inside
The full text
Right now
- Stop. Don't type anything else into the page, and close it.
- Opened a file or something installed? Leave the computer on, but unplug the network cable or turn off Wi-Fi.
- Typed a password? Call IT so it can be changed and you're signed out everywhere.
- Call your IT support now.
In the next hour
- Entered card or bank details? Call your bank's fraud line.
- Don't approve any sign-in prompt you didn't start, even if it keeps asking.
- Let your manager know, so others don't open the same email.
Tell IT
Your name
Computer name
Time you clicked
Email subject
Sender's address
What you typed or opened
Please don't
- Delete the email. IT may need it to protect everyone else.
- Forward it to coworkers.
- Download a cleanup tool from the internet.
- Wait to see what happens.
Why speed matters
Someone who gets a password usually tries it within minutes. If it's changed before they get in, the problem ends there.
Scams and email
More printables like this
Money changes need a phone call
Email can be faked, even from a real account. These rules stop the most expensive scam in business.
Holiday scams are here
Scammers get busy when we do. Watch for these from November to January.
Questions about anything in here?
Our team helps local businesses with exactly this every day. A 15-minute call is free.