Examples of Phishing and Spear Phishing

Phishing attacks trick users into revealing sensitive information like passwords, credit card numbers, or personal details. Spear phishing is a more targeted form of phishing aimed at specific individuals or organizations.

Phishing Examples

Generic Email Scams:

• An email claiming you’ve won a lottery or prize and asking you to click a link to claim it.

Fake Bank Alerts:

• A message appears to come from your bank, warning of “suspicious activity” and requesting your login credentials.

Social Media Phishing:

• Messages from unknown accounts asking you to “verify your profile” or click a suspicious link.

How to Spot Them:

• Poor grammar or spelling
• Urgent language (“Your account will be locked!”)
• Links that don’t match the official domain

Spear Phishing Examples

Targeted Work Email:

• An attacker sends a convincing email pretending to be your manager, asking you to transfer money or share sensitive documents.

Personalized Scams:

• An email referencing your recent purchase or social media activity, asking you to click a malicious link or open an attachment.

Business Compromise:

• Attackers research your company and send emails that appear to be from colleagues, vendors, or partners.

How to Spot Them:

• Unexpected requests even if the email looks legitimate
• Requests for sensitive information that wouldn’t normally be shared by email
• Slightly altered sender addresses (e.g., “manager@yourcmpany.com