How to Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams

You’ve probably received one before—an email that says your package couldn’t be delivered, or a message from your “bank” asking you to click a link and verify your information. While it might look official, something feels a bit off to you.

In situations like this, you always want to trust that feeling. You may have just spotted a phishing attempt, and knowing how to recognize and avoid these scams is more important than ever.

What Exactly Is Phishing?

Phishing (pronounced fishing) is a fancy name for a sneaky trick where scammers pretend to be someone you trust, like your bank, a store you shop at, or even your boss, to try and get you to share personal info or click on a harmful link.

Their goal is to get you to hand over things like your passwords, your credit card or bank details, Social Security numbers, or even direct access to your accounts.

The worst part about phishing scams is that these can show up as messages almost anywhere, including email, text messages, social media DMs, or even fake websites that look legit.

How to Spot a Phishing Scam

Even the best of us can fall for a well-crafted message, but most phishing attempts follow a few patterns. Keep an eye out for these red flags:

It feels urgent or threatening “If you don’t click this link right now, your account will be locked!” Sound familiar? Scammers use panic to push you into acting fast before you think it through.

It includes weird links or attachments Before you click, hover over any link. Does it go where it says it will? If not, don’t click. And don’t open attachments from people you weren’t expecting to hear from.

The email address is off Maybe it says it’s from your bank, but the email comes from “support@bank-secure123.com.”  That's a sign the email is a scam.

It doesn’t even use your name If the message includes “Dear customer” or “Hi friend” instead of your actual name, it’s probably not legit.

How to Protect Yourself from Phishing

The good news is, there are a few simple things you can do to protect yourself and they only take a few minutes. Here is what the Cybersecruity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recommends to help guard yourself against phishing scams:

Think before you click If something looks suspicious, trust your gut. Take a moment to double-check. Is the sender someone you know? Were you expecting this message?

Verify, verify, verify If you’re not sure whether a message is real, don’t reply or click. Go straight to the source by looking up the company’s official phone number or website and contact them directly.

Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) This is a fancy way of saying to add an extra layer of security. Even if someone gets your password, MFA makes it harder for them to get into your accounts.

Keep your software up to date Don’t put off these updates. They’re often fixing security holes that scammers love to use, so you want to keep your phone, apps, and computer current.

Report suspicious messages If you think you’ve received a phishing message, report it to the company being impersonated, and if you’re at work, send it to your IT department. You can also report it to CISA so they can help warn others.

Phishing scams can be scary, but they don’t have to catch you off guard. By slowing down, staying alert, and knowing what to look for, you can protect yourself and help protect those around you, too.

So the next time you get that suspicious message, pause, think, and don’t take the bait.

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