Most cyberattacks don’t start with sophisticated hacking. They start with an email. A convincing message asks someone to click a link, open an attachment, or “verify” their password, and one click is all it takes.
The good news: most phishing emails have warning signs. Share this guide with your team so everyone knows what to look for.
What is phishing?
Phishing is when attackers pretend to be someone you trust, such as a vendor, a bank, a coworker, or a well-known company, to trick you into giving up information, sending money, or installing malicious software.
10 warning signs of a phishing email
- Urgency or pressure. “Your account will be closed today,” or “I need this wire sent in the next hour.”
- A sender address that’s slightly off. The name looks right, but the actual email address is misspelled or from a strange domain.
- Unexpected attachments. Especially invoices, “scanned documents,” or files you weren’t expecting.
- Links that don’t match. Hover over a link (without clicking) to see where it really goes.
- Requests for passwords or codes. Legitimate companies won’t ask you to email your password or share a login code.
- Payment or banking changes. “We’ve changed our bank account, please send future payments here.”
- Gift card requests. A “boss” asking you to quickly buy gift cards is a classic scam.
- Generic greetings. “Dear customer” instead of your name.
- Fake login pages. A page that looks like Microsoft 365 or Google but has an odd web address.
- Something just feels off. Unusual tone, timing, or requests from someone you know.
Phishing isn’t just email
The same tricks show up in text messages, phone calls, and even QR codes. A caller pretending to be “IT support” or a text claiming a package problem can be just as dangerous.
What to do if a message seems suspicious
- Don’t click, reply, or open attachments.
- Verify another way. Call the person or company using a phone number you already know, not one in the email.
- Report it to your IT team or provider.
What to do if someone already clicked
It happens, even to careful people. What matters most is acting fast:
- Tell your IT team or provider immediately. Speed matters more than embarrassment.
- If you entered a password, change it right away, and change it anywhere else you used it.
- Disconnect the computer from the network if your IT team tells you to.
- Watch for unusual activity in email and financial accounts.
Make it easy and blame-free for employees to report mistakes. Fast reporting can turn a potential disaster into a minor incident.
Technology helps, too
Training is important, but it works best alongside the right protections:
- Email security that filters phishing before it reaches inboxes
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA), so a stolen password alone isn’t enough
- Endpoint protection that can stop malicious files and behavior
- Backups in case something gets through
How CTS helps
Creative Tech Solutions protects businesses with layered cybersecurity, including advanced email security, MFA, endpoint protection, and 24/7 monitoring through our security operations partner, plus guidance to help your team stay alert.
Want to know how well your business is protected against phishing? Schedule a free consultation, or learn more about our cybersecurity services.
