Originally published February 11, 2020. Revised and updated August 27, 2025.
Phishing is one of the most dangerous cyberattacks happening today.
CISA reports that 84% of employees will take the bait and click a malicious link (or download an attachment). In the age of AI-driven attacks, phishing emails are only getting more sophisticated.
So how can your employees learn to spot these attacks?
Here’s everything you need to know.
Key takeaways:
- Your employees can learn to recognize signs of phishing.
- Common signs include suspicious sender addresses and urgent language.
- Be wary of unexpected attachments.
- Hovering over a link is the best way to see if it’s actually what it claims to be.
What Is Phishing?
Phishing is one of the many methods used by cybercriminals to gain sensitive data from users. Individuals are targeted via email, telephone or text message by someone posing as a legitimate institution to lure them into providing passwords, company information, credit card info and more.
What Does A Phishing Email Look Like?
Phishing emails come in many variations, but there are some common red flags to look for to help identify suspicious emails. Check out our infographic below of the 9 Common Signs of a Phishing Attack. When your employees or end-users are aware of these red flags, your data will be much safer from a disaster like a phishing scam.
Download Phishing Email Examples
Download our Red Flag Phishing Infographic
9 Common Signs of a Phishing Attack
1. Suspicious Sender Address
Phishing emails often come from addresses that look similar to legitimate ones but contain slight misspellings or extra characters. Always verify the domain carefully before clicking anything.
2. Generic Greetings
Messages that start with “Dear Customer” or “Dear User” instead of your actual name are a red flag. Legitimate organizations usually personalize their communication.
3. Urgent or Threatening Language
Phishers create a sense of urgency, warning that your account will be suspended or compromised if you don’t act immediately. This pressure tactic is designed to make you click without thinking.
4. Unexpected Attachments
Unsolicited attachments, especially with file types like .exe, .zip, or .scr, are common phishing tools. Opening them can install malware on your device.
5. Links That Don’t Match
Hover over any link before clicking—if the URL doesn’t match the displayed text or looks suspicious, it’s likely a phishing attempt. Shortened or misspelled URLs are a big warning sign.
6. Requests for Sensitive Information
Legitimate companies rarely ask for passwords, credit card numbers, or Social Security details via email. Any such request should raise immediate suspicion.
7. Poor Grammar and Spelling
Many phishing emails contain noticeable spelling mistakes or awkward phrasing. Professional organizations typically maintain high standards for communication.
8. Too-Good-to-Be-True Offers
Emails promising huge rewards, lottery winnings, or exclusive deals often aim to lure you into providing personal information. If it sounds unrealistic, it probably is.
9. Mismatched Branding
Look for inconsistencies in logos, colors, or email formatting. Fake emails often fail to replicate the exact branding of the legitimate company.
How Can I Protect My Company?
Education is the key to preventing breaches. Since 91% of data breaches begin with a phishing email, it is vital employees understand how to spot them.
Don’t wait for a Cyber Attack. Plan and Prepare for it.
While awareness and security education aren’t 100% foolproof, they are a crucial tool for success when working to achieve the level of information security you need for your business in today’s world. Corsica offers phishing training and security awareness training that will drastically reduce your employees phish prone percentage. Included in the training is a review of your team’s results to understand how you can take action.
Cyber criminals are constantly developing new techniques to attack your organization. Cybersecurity is a process of continuous improvement, not a destination at which your organization suddenly arrives. As cyber threats continue to evolve, so must your cybersecurity strategy.
If you would like some help moving your organization forward on the cybersecurity front or more information about the solutions discussed above give us a call at (855) 411-3387or reach out to us here.
