Frequently Asked Question
How to spot a phishing email?
Last Updated 11 months ago
Many phishing emails contain mistakes in language, punctuation, and spelling.
Is it addressed to you by name, or does it say something like 'valued client,' 'friend,' or 'colleague'? This might indicate that the sender does not know you and that the email is part of a phishing hoax.
Is there a concealed threat in the email that requires you to respond quickly? Words like send these details within 24 hours' or 'you have been a victim of crime, click here immediately' should raise a red flag.
If something appears to be too good to be true, it most likely is. Someone is unlikely to want to offer you money or grant you access to a private area of the Internet.
What would you say about the design and general quality?
Is the email requesting that you click on a link? Examine the link carefully to determine whether it appears legitimate. For example, if the hyperlink appears to be from your bank, double-check that it leads to your bank's website rather than something with a different name.
Take a look at the sender's name. Is it genuine, or is it attempting to imitate someone you know?
Check the sender's email address again. Phishing emails frequently aim to imitate an official email address by making it appear as close to the genuine as possible. Make sure to look at what comes after the '@' symbol.
Consider what the email is asking you to do.
Never provide your personal information or login data to your bank or any other official source, such as the University.
Is what they are asking you to do strange or out of character if the email is from a person?
Is it necessary for you to view an attachment or install software?
Is it addressed to you by name, or does it say something like 'valued client,' 'friend,' or 'colleague'? This might indicate that the sender does not know you and that the email is part of a phishing hoax.
Is there a concealed threat in the email that requires you to respond quickly? Words like send these details within 24 hours' or 'you have been a victim of crime, click here immediately' should raise a red flag.
If something appears to be too good to be true, it most likely is. Someone is unlikely to want to offer you money or grant you access to a private area of the Internet.
What would you say about the design and general quality?
Is the email requesting that you click on a link? Examine the link carefully to determine whether it appears legitimate. For example, if the hyperlink appears to be from your bank, double-check that it leads to your bank's website rather than something with a different name.
Take a look at the sender's name. Is it genuine, or is it attempting to imitate someone you know?
Check the sender's email address again. Phishing emails frequently aim to imitate an official email address by making it appear as close to the genuine as possible. Make sure to look at what comes after the '@' symbol.
Consider what the email is asking you to do.
Never provide your personal information or login data to your bank or any other official source, such as the University.
Is what they are asking you to do strange or out of character if the email is from a person?
Is it necessary for you to view an attachment or install software?