Many security incidents don’t begin with a sophisticated hack. They begin with a single email that looks normal enough for someone to click a link, open an attachment or reply with information they shouldn’t share. That’s phishing, and it remains one of the most common ways attackers get into businesses of every size.
The encouraging part is that most phishing attempts leave clues. When your team knows what to look for and has a simple plan for what to do, the risk drops a lot. Here’s the guide we share with clients.
What phishing looks like today
Phishing is any message that pretends to come from someone trustworthy in order to trick you. The goal might be stealing a password, getting a payment sent to the wrong account, or installing malicious software. It usually arrives by email, but the same tricks show up in text messages, WhatsApp, social media and phone calls.
Modern phishing can be very convincing. Messages may use correct logos, mention real colleagues and arrive at the exact moment you’re expecting something. That’s why spotting it is less about one obvious mistake and more about noticing a pattern of small warning signs.
Warning sign 1: Pressure and urgency
“Your account will be suspended in 24 hours.” “Pay this invoice today or we’ll take legal action.” “I need this done before my meeting, please don’t call me.” Attackers create urgency because rushed people don’t stop to check. Whenever an email pushes you to act immediately, treat that as a reason to slow down.
Warning sign 2: The sender doesn’t quite match
Look closely at the actual email address, not just the display name. A message might show your bank’s name but come from an unrelated domain, or use a lookalike address with a swapped letter or an extra word. Be especially careful with messages that seem to come from your own managers but use a personal email account.
Warning sign 3: Links that go somewhere unexpected
On a computer, hover your mouse over a link without clicking to see where it really goes. On a phone, press and hold the link to preview it. If the address doesn’t match the company the email claims to be from, or uses a strange string of characters, don’t click. When in doubt, open your browser and go to the site directly by typing the address you already know.
Warning sign 4: Unexpected attachments
Be cautious with attachments you weren’t expecting, even from people you know, because their account may have been compromised. Pay particular attention to files that ask you to “enable content” or “enable macros”, compressed files and documents that ask you to log in to view them.
Warning sign 5: Requests for money or credentials
Legitimate organisations rarely ask you to confirm your password by email. A sudden request to change bank details for a supplier, buy gift cards, or approve an unusual payment is a classic sign of fraud. These requests should always be confirmed through a separate channel.
Warning sign 6: Something just feels off
Odd greetings, unusual phrasing from someone you know well, a request outside normal business processes, or an email about an order you never placed. Trust that instinct. It’s often the first and best defence.
A simple routine for suspicious emails
We recommend teaching everyone the same short routine:
- Pause. Don’t click, download or reply yet.
- Check. Look at the sender address, hover over links and consider whether the request makes sense.
- Verify. Contact the person or company using a phone number or address you already have, not the details in the email.
- Report. Forward the message to whoever handles IT or security, or use your email system’s report button.
- Delete. Once it has been reported, remove it from your inbox.
What to do if someone clicks
Mistakes happen, and the worst response is staying quiet out of embarrassment. Make it clear that people should report a click immediately. Fast action usually limits the damage. Typical steps include changing the affected password, signing out of active sessions, running a security scan on the device and checking for unusual account activity. If payment details were involved, contact the bank right away.
Back it up with technical protection
Awareness is essential, but it works best alongside a few technical safeguards:
- Multi-factor authentication on email and key business accounts, so a stolen password alone isn’t enough
- Email filtering that blocks known malicious messages and flags external senders
- Email authentication records such as SPF, DKIM and DMARC on your domain, which make it harder for attackers to impersonate you
- Regular software updates on computers and phones
- A password manager, so people use unique passwords everywhere
Make training a habit, not an event
A single training session is easy to forget. Short refreshers every few months, sharing real examples your team has received and celebrating people who report suspicious messages all help build a culture where checking is normal. Some businesses also run friendly practice exercises so people can test their instincts safely.
Conclusion
Phishing works by catching people when they’re busy and trusting. By teaching your team to pause, check, verify and report, and by adding a few technical safeguards, you can turn your people into one of your strongest defences.
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