What Is a Phishing Email?
A phishing email is a fraudulent email designed to deceive recipients into revealing sensitive information, downloading malware, transferring money, or performing other actions that benefit a cybercriminal. Phishing emails impersonate trusted individuals or organizations, such as banks, government agencies, online services, or business partners, to make the message appear legitimate.
Sensitive information targeted by phishing emails includes usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, bank account details, personal identification information, and confidential business data. Successful phishing attacks typically result in credential theft, financial fraud, malware infections, identity theft, account takeover, and unauthorized access to sensitive personal or business information.
How Do Phishing Emails Work?
Phishing emails work by combining technical deception with psychological tricks to convince recipients that a fraudulent message is legitimate. There are 5 common phishing email tactics.
The first is impersonating trusted senders by spoofing email addresses, domains, or display names to make phishing emails appear legitimate. The second is exploiting psychological triggers. The second is exploiting psychological triggers such as urgency, fear, curiosity, and excitement to pressure recipients into clicking malicious links, opening infected attachments, or disclosing sensitive information without verifying the request. The third is creating counterfeit websites and login pages that closely resemble legitimate websites. Phishing emails contain links to these fake websites that are used to steal usernames, passwords, payment details, and other confidential information. The fourth is manipulating links and including infected attachments in phishing emails to deceive recipients into clicking malicious URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) or opening harmful files. The fifth is bypassing email security filters. Using trusted email infrastructure and newly registered domains reduce the likelihood of phishing emails being detected or blocked.
Why Do People Fall for Phishing Emails?
There are 5 main reasons people fall for phishing emails. The first is trust. People are more likely to believe emails that appear to be sent from familiar organizations, colleagues, banks, or government agencies. The second is false urgency. Cyberattackers claim that an account has been suspended, a payment is overdue, or that immediate action is required to pressure recipients into responding quickly. The third is fear. Threats of financial loss, legal consequences, or account closure encourage recipients to act without carefully checking the message. The fourth is curiosity and the appeal of rewards. Phishing emails use unexpected refunds, prizes, attractive offers, or exclusive opportunities to persuade recipients to click malicious links or open attachments. The fifth is a lack of awareness. Recipients with limited knowledge of phishing tactics are less likely to recognize suspicious messages, fake websites, or spoofed sender addresses.
How Do I Identify Phishing Emails?
7 ways to identify phishing emails are listed below.
- Check the Sender's Email Address: Check that the sender's email address matches the organization or individual who is sending it. Misspelled domains, extra characters, or unfamiliar email addresses are common indicators of phishing emails.
- Look for Generic Greetings: Look for generic greetings such as "Dear Customer" or "Dear Valued Member" instead of your name, as legitimate organizations personalize emails sent to existing customers.
- Watch for Urgent or Threatening Language: Watch for email messages that create urgency, fear, or pressure by claiming an account has been suspended, a payment is overdue, or immediate action is required. These psychological tricks are designed to make recipients act without verifying the request.
- Inspect Links Before Clicking: Inspect links sent in email to verify that the destination URL matches the legitimate website. On a computer, hover over a link without clicking it to inspect its destination. On a mobile device, use the available link-preview function without opening the page. Avoid clicking links that appear suspicious, shortened, or unrelated to the sender.
- Be Cautious of Unexpected Attachments: Be cautious of attachments you were not expecting, especially if they ask you to enable macros or download files. Opening malicious attachments can install malware or compromise your device.
- Check for Grammar and Spelling Errors: Look for grammar, spelling mistakes, unusual formatting, or inconsistent branding in the email. Although many phishing emails are well-written, these errors can still indicate a fraudulent message.
- Avoid Requests for Sensitive Information: Avoid responding to emails that ask for sensitive information like passwords, banking details, one-time passcodes, or other confidential information. Legitimate organizations do not normally request sensitive information through email.
What Are Examples of Phishing Emails?
3 common examples of phishing emails are given below.
Example 1: Fake Account Suspension (Streaming Service)
From: Netfliix Support [email protected]
Subject: Action Required: Your account will be suspended in 24 hours
Date: Today, 03:47 AM
Dear Valued Customer,
We were unable to validate your billing information for the next billing cycle of your subscription. Your account will be suspended within 24 hours unless you update your payment details.
To avoid interruption of service, please verify your account immediately by clicking the link below:
Update Payment Information Now
If we do not receive an update within the next 24 hours, all Netflix features will be permanently disabled.
Sincerely,
The Netflix Team
Red flags: Misspelled sender domain (netfliix), urgency tactic, generic greeting, and a mismatched display name.
Example 2: Fake Package Delivery Notification
From: DHL Express Delivery [email protected]
Subject: Your package #DHL-8827413 could not be delivered
Date: Yesterday, 11:52 PM
Hello,
We attempted to deliver your parcel today but were unable to complete the delivery due to an incorrect shipping address. A redelivery fee of $2.99 is required to reschedule your delivery.
Tracking Number: DHL-8827413
Status: On Hold
Amount Due: $2.99
Confirm Address and Pay Redelivery Fee
Please confirm your details within 48 hours or your parcel will be returned to the sender.
Best regards,
DHL Customer Service
Red flags: Suspicious sender domain (real DHL uses dhl.com), small "trust-me" payment amount to lower suspicion, artificial deadline, and vague package details with no legitimate tracking format.
Example 3: CEO Impersonation (Business Email Compromise)
From: David Reynolds [email protected]
Subject: Quick task, are you available?
Date: Today, 09:12 AM
Hi Sarah,
Are you at your desk? I need you to handle something quickly and discreetly for me before my next meeting. I'm tied up on calls all morning so please respond by email only.
I need to send out four Amazon gift cards ($500 each) to key clients as a thank-you. Can you purchase them, scratch off the back, and send me the codes? I'll reimburse you through payroll this week.
Please keep this between us for now, it's a small surprise gesture.
Thanks,
David
Sent from my iPhone
Red flags: Personal email domain instead of company domain, artificial secrecy, gift card request (a hallmark of BEC scams), pressure to move fast, and the "Sent from my iPhone" line meant to explain typos or a shorter tone.
How Can Businesses Protect Against Phishing Emails?
Businesses can protect themselves against phishing emails by following the 4 measures listed below.
- Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Enable multi-factor authentication for all business email accounts. MFA requires users to confirm their identity using an additional verification method, such as an authentication app, security key, or one-time code, alongside their password. This prevents unauthorized access when login credentials are stolen through a phishing attack.
- Train Employees to Recognize Phishing Emails: Train employees to identify suspicious emails, verify unexpected requests, and report phishing attempts with regular security awareness training and phishing simulations.
- Keep Email Security Settings Up to Date: Review email security settings regularly to make sure authentication policies, spam filtering rules, and user permissions are effective against evolving phishing techniques. Routine software updates also help patch vulnerabilities and reduce security gaps against phishing emails.
- Choose a Reputable Email Hosting Provider: Choose a reputable email hosting provider such as CLDY that provides built-in spam filtering, malware scanning, and email authentication protocols such as SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance). These server-level protections reduce the number of phishing emails that reach employee inboxes.
What Are the Steps After Receiving a Phishing Email?
There are 5 steps to take after receiving a phishing email. The first is to avoid clicking any links or opening attachments with the phishing email since this may redirect you to fraudulent websites or install malware on your device. The second is to report the phishing email to your organization's IT (Information Technology) or security team if it was sent to your work email. The third is to verify the message through the organization’s official contact channels or check suspicious links and messages using the ScamShield app or 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799. The fourth is to report suspicious emails to SingCERT (Singapore Cyber Emergency Response Team) if you think they might be phishing emails. SingCERT reviews submitted reports and works with relevant parties to investigate malicious emails and take down phishing infrastructure where appropriate. The fifth is to delete the phishing email to prevent accidental interaction in the future.
Does Opening a Phishing Email Compromise the Business?
No, opening a phishing email does not compromise a business. Phishing emails become harmful when the recipient clicks a malicious link, opens an infected attachment, enters sensitive information, approves a login request, or transfers money. These actions give attackers unauthorized access to accounts, devices, or confidential business information.
What Should I Do After Getting Phished?
Getting phished means that you interacted with a phishing message in a way that potentially compromised information, an account, a device, or money. Take 5 steps immediately if you have been phished. First, change the password for the affected account and any other accounts that use the same password. Second, contact your company’s IT department immediately if you use a work email account. Third, run a full antivirus or anti-malware scan on your device. Fourth, contact your bank immediately if you share your banking or payment information. Fifth, file a police report if you lost money, and report the incident to the affected platform or service provider.