Check the sender's address carefully before opening any attachment. Look for slight misspellings in the domain name. Do not click links in unexpected emails. Hover your mouse over the link to see the real URL. Call the company directly if you feel suspicious. Use the official phone number from their website. Enable multi-factor authentication on your accounts. This stops hackers even if they have your password. Report the email to your IT department. Delete the message immediately. A study shows 90 percent of data breaches start with a phishing email.

Phishing Attack Examples and How to Avoid Them

Let’s be honest. We have all paused over an email that looked slightly off. Maybe it was a message from "Netflix" claiming your payment failed. Perhaps it was an "urgent" request from your boss asking for gift cards. My heart skipped a beat last week when I got an email saying my bank account was locked.

I almost clicked the link. I pride myself on being tech-savvy, but the logo looked perfect. The font was right. The panic they induced was real. That is exactly how they get you.

Phishing isn't just about Nigerian princes anymore. It is a sophisticated industry run by professionals. They know how to manipulate your emotions. They know how to fake authority.

In this guide, I want to walk you through what these attacks look like today. I will also share the specific behaviors that will protect you from a phishing attack. You do not need to be a cybersecurity expert to stay safe. You only need to change how you react to your inbox.

The Evolution of the Digital Con

You might remember the old spam emails. They were full of typos and broken English. You could spot them from a mile away.

Those days are gone. Modern phishing attacks are sleek. They use psychological triggers to bypass your logic. They want you to act fast so you don't think.

From my experience, the most dangerous attacks come from sources you trust. They hack a friend’s email and send you a link. Or they spoof a vendor you pay every month.

You’ll be surprised to know that business email compromise costs companies billions. It often starts with a single person making one small mistake. That person does not have to be you.

Common Phishing Attack Examples

To fight the enemy, you have to know what they look like. Here are the most common disguises hackers wear today.

The "Urgent" CEO Fraud

This one is classic but effective. You get an email from the CEO or a high-level executive. The subject line screams urgency.

"I'm in a meeting and need you to handle this wire transfer immediately."

It creates fear. You don't want to ignore the boss. But look closer. Is the email address actually ceo@company.com or is it ceo@cornpany.com? They rely on you reading too fast to notice the difference.

The Fake Invoice or Shipping Notification

We all order things online constantly. Hackers know this. They send fake emails from Amazon, FedEx, or UPS.

The email says you missed a delivery. It asks you to click a link to reschedule. Or it says there is an invoice for $500 for software you didn't buy.

You click the link to dispute the charge. That is when they steal your login credentials. I nearly fell for a "Norton Antivirus" renewal invoice once because I was distracted.

The Google Docs/Microsoft 365 Invite

This is a sneakier method. You get an email saying a colleague shared a document with you. It looks like a standard notification.

When you click "Open Document," you are redirected to a fake login page. It looks exactly like the Google or Microsoft login screen. You type in your password, and they capture it instantly.

Tech Support Scams

"Your computer is infected!" These pop-ups or emails claim to be from Microsoft or Apple. They provide a phone number to call.

If you call, a "technician" will ask for remote access to your computer. Once they are in, they can steal everything. Real tech companies will never contact you this way.

Core Behaviors That Will Protect You From a Phishing Attack

Now we get to the important part. How do you stop this? You don't need expensive software. You need to adjust your habits.

Adopting specific behaviours to protect you from a phishing attack is your best defence. It is about slowing down and verifying.

Stop and Look

The number one goal of a phisher is to make you rush. They use words like "Urgent", "Final Notice", or "Account Suspended".

When you feel that spike of adrenaline, stop. Take your hand off the mouse. Take a deep breath.

Ask yourself why this is urgent. Real companies rarely demand immediate action via a link in an email. If the email makes you panic, it is likely a scam.

Verify the Sender (The "Out of Band" Method)

If you get a strange request from a friend or boss, verify it. But do not reply to the email.

If you reply, you are just talking to the hacker. Instead, use a different communication channel. This is called "out of band" verification.

Text your friend. Call your boss at their known office number. I once had a client email me about changing bank details. I called him immediately. He had no idea what I was talking about. His email had been hacked. That phone call saved us thousands of dollars.

The Hover Test

This is the simplest behaviour to learn. Before you click any link, hover your mouse cursor over it.

A small box will appear showing the actual destination URL. The link text might say "support.apple.com", but the hover box might show "x834.badsite.ru".

If the two don't match, do not click. On a mobile phone, you can usually long-press the link to see the URL preview.

Never log in from an email link.

Make this a hard rule. If you get an email from your bank saying there is a problem, do not click the link.

Close the email. Open your browser. Type in the bank's address yourself. Log in normally.

If there is a real issue, there will be a notification inside your secure account dashboard. This single behaviour kills 99% of credential harvesting attacks.

Be Stingy with Personal Info

Legitimate organisations do not ask for sensitive data via email. Your bank will never ask for your PIN. The IRS will never email you asking for your Social Security number.

If a form asks for this info, close it. Be skeptical of everything that lands in your inbox.

Beyond Email: Smishing and Vishing

Phishing isn't limited to your computer. It has moved to your pocket.

Smishing (SMS Phishing)

You get a text. "USPS: We cannot deliver your package due to an incomplete address. Click here."

It looks real. But the link leads to a fake site asking for your credit card to pay a "redelivery fee".

I get these almost every week. The best response is to delete them. Never click a link in a text message from an unknown number.

Vishing (Voice Phishing)

This is when they call you. They might use AI to mimic a voice, you know. Or they claim to be the police or the IRS.

They demand payment via gift cards or crypto. Let's be honest, the IRS does not accept iTunes gift cards. Hang up.

Why Technical Controls Are Not Enough

You might be thinking, "Doesn't my spam filter catch this?"

Spam filters are great. They catch the bulk of the junk. But they are not perfect. Hackers are always testing their emails against filters before they send them.

They change the wording. They use clean domains. They compromise real accounts so the email comes from a "safe" sender.

You are the last line of defence. Technology can fail. Your intuition and your habits are the final firewall.

Developing a Security Mindset

It is easy to get complacent. We open hundreds of emails a week. We click links automatically.

Building behaviours that will protect you from a phishing attack takes practice. You have to train your brain to be suspicious.

Treat your inbox like your physical front door. You wouldn't open the door for a stranger wearing a mask just because they yelled "Urgent!" You would check the peephole first.

Apply that same logic to your digital life. Check the "peephole" (the sender address and URL). Verify who is knocking.

Conclusion

Phishing is scary because it targets human nature. It preys on our trust and our fears. But once you see the strings, the puppet show isn't so frightening.

Remember the basics. Slow down. Specific behaviors that will protect you from a phishing attack include verifying the sender, hovering over links, and never logging in through email prompts.

If you are ever in doubt, delete the email. It is better to miss a generic notification than to hand over the keys to your digital life. Stay skeptical, stay safe, and trust your gut.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if I accidentally click a phishing link?

Disconnect your device from the internet immediately. This stops the malware from sending data back to the hacker. Run a full antivirus scan on your computer. If you entered any passwords, change them right away from a different device. Contact your IT department or bank if financial data was involved.

Can I get a virus just by opening a phishing email?

Usually, simply opening the email is safe if you have modern email software. Most attacks require you to click a link or download an attachment. However, to be safe, turn off the "automatic image loading" feature in your email settings. This prevents the sender from tracking that you opened the message.

How can I tell if an email attachment is malicious?

Look at the file extension. Be very careful with files ending in .exe, .scr, or .zip. Even Microsoft Office files like .docx or .xlsx can contain malicious macros. If you weren't expecting the file, do not open it. Call the sender to confirm they actually sent it.

Does Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) stop phishing?

Yes, it is highly effective. Even if a hacker tricks you into giving them your password, they cannot access your account without the second factor. This is usually a code sent to your phone or generated by an app. Always enable MFA on every account that offers it.