PhishLabs warns that replying to a phishing email, even if you know it’s a scam, can lead to further attacks. Most phishing campaigns are automated and replying to them puts you on a scammer’s radar. PhishLabs stresses that these people are criminals, and that they can be vindictive or even dangerous. There are several operational security-related reasons why replying to these emails is a bad idea.
First, replying to a phishing email provides the scammer with a copy of your company’s email signature, which might include phone numbers and other information. This signature could enable them to craft more convincing spearphishing templates, as well as giving them more potential targets.
Second, replying to an email notifies the scammer that your email address is active. This makes you a high priority for additional attacks. Scammers can also sell your email to other attackers.
Finally, your email headers can provide the attackers with your location data, which can help them figure out your physical location.
The best course of action is to report these emails to your IT department, or simply delete them. There are many amusing stories about people wasting scammers’ time, but unless you know what you’re doing and you have precautions in place, you could be putting yourself or your organization in danger. We appreciate the amusing stories, but better to be safe than funny. New-school security awareness training can teach your employees how to identify and deal with phishing attacks. PhishLabs has the story: https://info.phishlabs.com/blog/dont-respond-suspicious-emails
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