What is a Spear Phish and how do I avoid it?

Any financial transaction or online interaction comes with a level of risk due to the anonymity of the internet. Apartments.com has security features to protect renters and property managers, but since interactions by phone and email occur off the website, there will be times when you have to be on the lookout for suspicious activity. 

One of the most prominent cases of social engineering and risk online today is spear phishing. A spear phish is a targeted communication - typically in the form of an email - meant to gain access to your account by having you divulge private information. This is done by creating a sense of urgency, or in some cases, by the phisher masquerading as a legitimate company or institution. 

To avoid being phished on Apartments.com, we advise never clicking links in emails sent by renters. Additionally, if you receive any correspondence from someone claiming to be Apartments.com, we would never make a request to change a password or update account information without prior notice. If you receive an email and you're uncertain of the validity of it, we recommend giving us a call for further assistance (899-293-8899).