5 Signs You’re About to Fall for a Phishing Scam

That urgent email from your bank? The text about a package delivery? The message from a friend asking for help? Any of these could be a phishing attempt.

Phishing attacks are getting more sophisticated every day, but they almost always share common characteristics. Here are five warning signs that should make you pause before clicking.

1. The Message Creates Urgency or Fear

What it looks like:

• “Your account will be suspended in 24 hours!”
• “Unusual login detected - verify immediately!”
• “Your payment failed - update now or lose access!”

Why scammers do this: Urgency bypasses your critical thinking. When you’re panicked, you’re more likely to act without thinking.

What to do: Take a breath. Legitimate companies rarely demand immediate action via email. If you’re concerned, go directly to the company’s website (don’t click the link) and check your account.

2. Something’s Off About the Sender

What to look for:

• Email address doesn’t match the company name
• Slight misspellings (amazom.com instead of amazon.com)
• Personal email addresses claiming to be businesses
• Generic domains instead of company domains

Examples:

• “Netflix Support” sending from netflix-billing@gmail.com
• “PayPal Security” sending from paypa1-secure@support-team.com

What to do: Always verify the actual email address, not just the display name. When in doubt, contact the company through official channels.

3. The Greeting is Generic

Phishing emails often say:

• “Dear Customer”
• “Dear User”
• “Dear Account Holder”
• “Hello Friend”

Legitimate companies usually:

• Know your name
• Reference your account or recent activity
• Use consistent branding

Why this matters: Phishing emails are sent to thousands of people at once. Scammers don’t know your name, so they use generic greetings.

4. Links Don’t Go Where They Claim

Before clicking any link:

1. Hover over it (on desktop) to see the actual URL
2. Look for misspellings or extra words
3. Check if it’s the real company domain

Examples of suspicious links:

• Text says “amazon.com” but links to “amaz0n-verify.com”
• Button says “Login to PayPal” but links to “paypal.secure-login.info”
• “Click here to verify” links to a completely unrelated domain

What to do: Never click links in suspicious emails. Instead, open a new browser window and navigate to the website directly.

5. They’re Asking for Sensitive Information

Red flag requests:

• Full Social Security number
• Complete credit card numbers
• Passwords
• PIN numbers
• Security questions and answers

Important rule: Legitimate companies will NEVER ask for passwords or complete account numbers via email.

What to do: If an email asks for sensitive information, it’s almost certainly a scam. Delete it and report it as phishing.

Bonus: The “Too Good to Be True” Test

Some phishing attempts don’t use fear - they use greed:

• “You’ve won a $1,000 gift card!”
• “Claim your free iPhone now!”
• “You’re entitled to a refund of $500”

If you didn’t enter a contest or aren’t expecting money, be extremely skeptical.

What to Do If You’re Unsure

1. Don’t click anything in the message
2. Go directly to the company’s official website
3. Log in normally to check for any real issues
4. Call customer service using the number on their official website
5. Report the phishing attempt to your email provider

Already Clicked? Here’s What to Do

1. Close the page immediately - don’t enter any information
2. Run an antivirus scan on your device
3. Change your passwords for any affected accounts
4. Monitor your accounts for suspicious activity
5. Consider a credit freeze if you shared financial information

Stay Protected

Phishing is one of the most common cyber threats, but it’s also one of the most preventable. By staying vigilant and following these guidelines, you can protect yourself and your information.

Remember: when in doubt, don’t click. It’s always better to verify than to become a victim.

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