Phishing emails are one of the most common and dangerous cyber threats. These fraudulent messages impersonate banks, payment services, and other trusted institutions to steal your sensitive information. Here's how to protect yourself.
Understanding Phishing
Phishing is a social engineering attack where criminals send emails pretending to be from legitimate organizations. Their goal is to trick you into:
- Clicking malicious links
- Downloading harmful attachments
- Providing login credentials
- Sharing financial information
Red Flags in the Sender Address
Always check the actual email address, not just the display name. Legitimate banks use their official domains:
Hover over the sender name to reveal the actual email address. If it doesn't match the official domain, it's a phishing attempt.
Suspicious Language and Urgency
Phishing emails often use fear and urgency to bypass your judgment:
- "Your account will be suspended in 24 hours"
- "Unauthorized access detected—act now!"
- "Your account has been compromised"
- "Verify your information immediately"
Real banks don't threaten or pressure you via email. If something requires immediate attention, they'll call you or send a letter.
Check Links Before Clicking
Hover over any links without clicking to see the actual URL. Warning signs include:
- URLs that don't match the official bank website
- Shortened URLs (bit.ly, tinyurl)
- Misspelled domain names
- Strange characters or numbers in the URL
Generic Greetings
Your bank knows your name. Be suspicious of emails that start with:
- "Dear Customer"
- "Dear Account Holder"
- "Dear Sir/Madam"
Legitimate communications typically address you by name.
Requests for Sensitive Information
Banks will NEVER ask for the following via email:
- Your full password or PIN
- Your Social Security number
- Your full credit card number
- Answers to security questions
If an email requests any of this information, it's 100% a scam.
Poor Grammar and Spelling
Professional organizations have editorial standards. Multiple spelling errors, awkward phrasing, or poor grammar are strong indicators of a phishing attempt.
What to Do If You Receive a Suspicious Email
- Don't click any links or download attachments
- Don't reply to the email
- Contact your bank directly using the number on your card or their official website
- Report the email to your email provider and the impersonated organization
- Delete the email after reporting
Stay Protected
When in doubt about a link in an email, don't click it. Instead, manually type the bank's official website address into your browser. You can also use our website checker to verify if a URL is safe before visiting.