How to Recognize and Report Phishing Emails

Phishing emails are a common tactic used by attackers to steal sensitive information or spread malware. Follow this guide to identify and report phishing emails effectively.

What is a Phishing Email?

A phishing email is a fraudulent message that appears to be from a trusted source, such as your bank, employer, or a familiar service, but is designed to trick you into providing sensitive information, clicking on malicious links, or downloading harmful attachments.

How to Recognize a Phishing Email

1. Look for Suspicious Sender Information:

   • Check the sender’s email address carefully. Phishing emails often come from addresses that look similar to legitimate ones but may contain misspellings or extra characters (e.g., support@amzon.com instead of support@amazon.com).
     
     

2. Watch for Generic Greetings:

   • Phishing emails often use generic terms like "Dear Customer" instead of addressing you by name.
     
     

3. Inspect Links Before Clicking:

   • Hover over links to see the destination URL. If it looks suspicious or doesn’t match the sender's website, don’t click.
     
     

4. Beware of Urgent or Threatening Language:

   • Phrases like "Your account will be suspended" or "Act immediately to avoid a penalty" are red flags designed to create panic.
     
     

5. Check for Grammatical Errors:

   • Many phishing emails contain poor spelling, grammar, or awkward phrasing.
     
     

6. Verify Unexpected Attachments:

   • Do not open attachments you weren’t expecting, especially if they have unusual file extensions like .exe, .zip, or .js.
     
     

7. Examine Requests for Personal Information:

   • Legitimate organizations will never ask for sensitive information like passwords, Social Security numbers, or credit card details via email.

Steps to Report a Phishing Email

1. Do Not Interact with the Email:

   • Avoid clicking any links, downloading attachments, or replying to the sender.

2. Report to Your IT Department:

   • Forward the suspicious email to support@trucare.org.
     
     

3. Mark as Phishing in Your Email Client:

   • Most email platforms allow you to report phishing emails:
     • Outlook: Right-click the email, select Report phishing.
       
       

4. Delete the Email:

   • Once reported, delete the email from your inbox and your trash folder.

What Happens After Reporting?

Your IT team will:

• Analyze the email for threats.
• Take action to block similar phishing attempts.
• Inform other users if the email is part of a larger phishing campaign.