Digital Signatures: Beware of phishing scams

Signing documents electronically saves time and makes it easier for people to close contracts, sign mortgage or other legal documents, and fill out tax forms and so on, but electronic signatures can also come with risks.

Scammers have launched phishing attacks which send hoax emails to deceive people into giving up their personal and financial information.

As we continue to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, electronic or digital signing of documents is a good way to avoid unnecessary contact during the virus, and one that we have employed at Cutcher & Neale.

Our clients’ security and safety are paramount, and you need to be aware of phishing scams tied to online signatures. These scams can expose the key financial information and give cybercriminals access to bank accounts and online credit card portals.

You can avoid falling victim to these scams by keeping a few things in mind. Make sure you question any request for a signature if:

1. You haven’t requested or are not expecting any documents. 
2. You don't recognize the sender. 
3. The URL or links do not look right. 
4. An email address or URL looks misspelt. Scammers often send their phishing attacks from emails that are close to but not the same as those used by legitimate companies.
5. Get in touch directly with the company that the email has come from by phoning them, or typing their website address in manually.

Please remember you can always call Cutcher & Neale to confirm if a document you have received for signing is legitimate.