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Phishing Emails
Critical Severity91% of cyberattacks start with a phishing email
Phishing emails are fraudulent messages designed to trick recipients into revealing sensitive information like passwords, credit card numbers, or personal data. They typically impersonate trusted brands, colleagues, or institutions.
How it works
- Attackers craft emails that mimic legitimate organizations (banks, tech companies, employers)
- Emails contain urgent language to pressure quick action ("Your account will be suspended")
- Links lead to fake websites that look identical to real login pages
- Victims enter credentials which are captured by the attacker
Red flags to watch for
- Urgent or threatening language demanding immediate action
- Sender email domain doesn't match the claimed organization
- Generic greetings like "Dear Customer" instead of your name
- Suspicious links — hover to see the real URL before clicking
- Requests for passwords, SSN, or financial information via email
- Poor grammar, spelling errors, or unusual formatting
Real-world example
Subject: Urgent: Your PayPal account has been limited
From: security@paypa1-support.com
“We have detected unusual activity on your account. Your account access has been limited. Click here to verify your identity and restore full access within 24 hours or your account will be permanently closed.”
How to protect yourself
- Never click links in unexpected emails — go directly to the website instead
- Check the sender's actual email address, not just the display name
- Enable two-factor authentication on all important accounts
- Use an email security tool like SiftMail that scores every incoming email
- Report phishing emails to your email provider
How SiftMail detects this
SiftMail's scoring engine detects phishing patterns in subject lines (+35%), body content (+30%), suspicious sender domains (+25%), reply-to mismatches (+20%), and link shorteners (+15%). Emails scoring above your threshold are automatically flagged or quarantined.
Stop phishing emails before they reach your inbox
SiftMail scores every incoming email and automatically quarantines threats. Free plan available, setup takes 30 seconds.