How to Identify a Phishing Email & Stay Safe Online

Phishing is a type of cyber security attack that often steals user data by sending fraudulent messages from a reliable source, and it’s commonly done through emails. Understanding these attacks is crucial to knowing how to identify phishing emails effectively.

As phishing attacks are increasing, recognising fake emails from verified ones is not as easy as it seems, as hackers now have an array of sophisticated methods to target employees.

Due to this, an employee may not be able to fully comprehend the trustworthiness of a site and simply put in their personal information without thinking of the consequences.

Fortunately, there are several ways to detect a phishing email and identify certain red flags. In this blog, you’ll learn how to identify phishing emails immediately, allowing you to protect your data better.

Let’s get started.

1. Unfamiliar Tone and Grammatical Errors

The easiest way to identify a phishing email is to look at the spelling and use of grammar.

Most professional businesses will spell check and proofread their emails before sending them. Essentially, emails from professionals usually tend to be free of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Therefore, any obvious mistakes should make you cautious about the intention behind the email.

Additionally, if the tone of voice doesn’t sound right, especially if it’s an email from someone familiar, this might be a scam email. For instance, if a colleague’s tone of voice is too comfortable or a good friend’s language is too formal, it might not really be them. This should straight away make you question how authentic the email is, and then you can look for other signs to confirm whether it’s a phishing email or not.

2. Threats or a Sense of Urgency

Phishing emails usually threaten the recipient by creating a sense of urgency and demanding immediate action. So, everyone should always treat these types of messages with suspicion.

The primary goal of sending these emails is the hope that you will read the email in haste, without looking at the body of it. This then leads to the person not examining the content thoroughly, causing the blatant signs of a phishing campaign to go unnoticed.

3. Generic Domain Emails

While looking at an email which claims to be from a well-known company, it’s best to check their email address and their domain name. Ensure that the address doesn’t feature any alterations, like additional numbers or letters.

If it does, it’s likely a phishing email, and you should avoid following any content or instructions in the email from then onwards. However, this method should only apply to big companies, as some smaller ones do use third-party email providers to send their emails.

4. Suspicious Attachments

If an email from an unfamiliar source comes with an attachment, it’s best to open it with caution or avoid clicking it altogether until you’ve verified the source. These attachments may lead to employees downloading malware on their device, which can compromise your data security.

Additionally, if the file has an extension type that is commonly related to virus downloads, like .zip or .exe, or features an unfamiliar extension, we recommend scanning the file with an anti-virus software before opening it.

5. Request for Payment Information and Other Personal Details

A phishing email usually features a fake landing page, which the employee is directed to by clicking on a link in the email. These pages might also feature a login box or show an unresolved payment issue.

If you’re not expecting an email, you shouldn’t add any personal information. You should also visit the website by typing in the URL instead of clicking on the link, as this can help you avoid entering any personal information on a fake website or giving your payment information to a cyber criminal.

6. Unusual Requests

If an email requests the receiver to do something that isn’t normal, then this can be an indication that the email is malicious. This includes asking permission to download third-party applications or software.

On top of this, some emails might also have little to no information, in the hopes that someone will simply download their attachments. It’s best to steer clear from these types of emails unless you’re able to confirm the legitimacy of the email.

Contact Redpalm to Keep Yourself Safe from Phishing Attacks

Now you know how to identify a phishing email, you may be better equipped to spot these threats. However, for comprehensive and ongoing protection against such cyber attacks, you can count on Redpalm.

Redpalm is a managed service provider (MSP) and a trusted cybersecurity partner. We equip your business with advanced IT infrastructure to swiftly identify and neutralise any security risks.

Our wide range of services includes IT audits and health checks, technology procurement, vulnerability assessments, endpoint management, and more.

To learn more about our managed IT services, click here or contact us to schedule an appointment today.