In an era when AI-powered impersonations and deep-fake voices are becoming everyday tools for cybercriminals, the simple email still remains one of the most effective attack methods. Despite all the headlines about breaches and ransomware, phishing continues to show up — undetected, disguised, ready to exploit a click or a careless moment. Knowing the telltale signs of a malicious email is essential for every professional and organization.
1. Suspicious Links
When it comes to links in emails, follow the golden rule: “hover before you click.” If a link promises a free gift, asks for personal information, or simply urges you to click, treat it with caution. Before taking action, hover over the link to preview the URL and confirm it looks legitimate. Check for a valid security certificate, ensure the domain matches the sender, and watch for anything that seems off liike misspellings or unusual formatting.
2. Improper Spelling or Grammar
This is an easy mistake to check for in suspicious emails, particularly those that contain links. Check the subject lines, body text, links, and signatures for any spelling or grammatical errors. Generally speaking, reputable organizations will rarely, if ever send out emails with these kinds of mistakes, so if you find an email in your inbox with any glaring spelling or grammatical errors, it’s best to be cautious with them.
3. Suspicious Attachments
Unsolicited attachments are generally a rarity in emails coming from reputable organizations, as it’s more common for those organizations to include a download link instead. Unless you are completely certain that an attachment is legitimate, it’s best not to open them at all as they could contain harmful malware.
4. Soliciting an Emotional Response
It’s worth emphasizing that phishing is almost always made possible by social engineering. While some phishing attempts will disguise themselves as legitimate emails, others will err more on the side of warnings or threats so as to promote a sense of urgency or panic in their victims, with the goal being to force you to make a quick (and potentially bad) decision. A threat actor posing as your bank, for example, may attempt to scam you by threatening account closure. If you receive an email with this kind of language, you should immediately be suspicious, and most importantly, remain calm.
5. Strange or Impersonal Greetings, Language, or Tone
If an email sounds oddly impersonal, generic, or dry, this could be another red flag. Non-specific phrases like “to whom it may concern,” “dear customer,” or “sir/ma’am” are a few examples of strange language to look for in a potential phishing attempt, but do not ignore tone either. Does the sender address you by your first name or a nickname even though you don’t know them? This won’t be quite as noticeable as a spelling or grammatical error, but if an email reads strangely, then be on alert.
6. Requests for Information
Similarly to unsolicited email attachments, it’s rare for organizations to ask for information from you through email. More specifically, if an email ever asks you to provide sensitive information like payment info, answers to security questions, passwords, or anything else that could compromise your or your organization’s accounts, never respond to those requests.
7. Discrepancies Between the Sender Name and Email Address
Fortunately, this is another red flag that’s fairly easy to spot. While the sender’s display name might look like a trusted organization, the actual email address often tells a different story. For example, you might receive an email claiming to be from your bank, but the address uses a Gmail or Yahoo domain instead of the bank’s official domain. If you notice this kind of mismatch, treat the email as highly suspicious as it’s likely a phishing attempt.
8. C-Suite Fraud
Threat actors will attempt to gain information about you or your organization by emailing you while posing as a C-level executive within your organization like the CEO or CFO. If you don’t frequently work with these executives, it’s best to check the sender’s email address and confirm that the email was sent from a corporate account.
9.Lack of Contact Details
Generally, whether you’re on an email marketing list or receiving a direct message from an employee, legitimate emails typically include detailed contact information near the signature. If you notice an unusual absence of this information, consider it a red flag and proceed with caution.
10. Content Disguised as Something Else
Spotting this type of phishing can be tricky at first glance because these scams often mimic emails you expect to receive. For instance, you might get an email that looks identical to your usual bank statement — complete with familiar wording and branding — but the attachment could be malicious. To detect these disguised attempts, review the clues mentioned above and pay attention to subtle details like paragraph spacing, logo alignment, and color accuracy.
Stay Vigilant — Your Best Defense Against Phishing
Phishing attacks are constantly evolving but staying alert and informed is your best defense. By recognizing the warning signs — whether it’s suspicious links, missing contact details, or subtle design inconsistencies — you can protect yourself and your organization from costly breaches. When in doubt, verify the source before clicking or sharing information. A few extra seconds of caution can save you from serious security risks.