Privacy & recovery
What to do after clicking a bad link
A calm, ordered response for Forsyth County residents who clicked a phishing link — from disconnecting to password resets.
Updated 2026-07-20 · 5 min read · CyberForsyth
Do not panic — do act in order
- Disconnect Wi-Fi/Ethernet if the page installed something or asked for remote access.
- Do not enter more data on the suspicious page.
- From a different clean device, change email passwords first, then banking.
- Enable MFA everywhere you can.
- Check email forwarding rules and app passwords — attackers hide persistence there.
- Run OS security scans; uninstall unknown programs/extensions.
- Watch accounts for 2–4 weeks; freeze credit if SSN or ID was typed.
- Report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov when appropriate.
If you entered a password
Assume that password is burned everywhere you reused it. This is why password managers matter.
If you installed remote software
Uninstall it, reboot, and consider professional cleanup. Review bank accounts the same day.
Need hands-on help?
Contact CyberForsyth — faster is better when credentials may already be stolen.
Sources
Public resources referenced in this guide. We are not affiliated with these organizations unless stated elsewhere.