Phishing Email Red Flags You Should Never Ignore

Phishing emails have become visually polished, often copying real company logos and formatting almost exactly. The tells that give them away have stayed fairly consistent. Check the actual sender address, not just the display name. A message that displays as "Your Bank Security Team" but sends from a free webmail address or an unrelated domain is not legitimate. Watch for artificial urgency: "your account will be suspended in 24 hours," "unusual sign-in detected," or "confirm now to avoid a late fee." Legitimate security notices rarely demand action within a few hours over email alone. Hover over links before clicking (or long-press on mobile) to preview the actual destination URL. A link that displays as your bank's name but points to an unrelated or misspelled domain is a phishing attempt. Be suspicious of any email asking you to "verify" your password, card number, or one-time passcode directly. Real institutions do not ask you to type your password into a link from an email. Generic greetings ("Dear Customer") combined with a request for sensitive action are a common combination, though targeted phishing can also use your real name if the attacker has done some research. If you are unsure whether an email is real, do not click anything in it. Instead, open your browser, type the company's known website address yourself, and log in directly, or call the organization using a number from their official website - not one provided in the email.