Five phishing signs every employee should know

The most expensive incidents often start with one person clicking one link.

The good news: most phishing shares a few tells. Share this with your team.

01 Urgency and threat

"Your account will be closed in 24 hours." Pressure is the point — it's meant to make you act before you think. Real organisations rarely demand instant action by email.

02 A mismatched sender

The display name says your bank; the actual address is a string of nonsense. Hover over the sender and the links before trusting either.

03 Unexpected attachments or links

An invoice you weren't expecting, a "document to review" from someone you don't deal with. When in doubt, confirm through a channel you already trust.

04 Requests for credentials or payment

A login page reached from an email link, or a sudden change to supplier bank details, deserves a second check by phone. The bank-detail change especially — that one costs companies dearly.

05 Something just feels off

Odd phrasing, a logo slightly wrong, a colleague "asking" for something out of character. Instinct is a real signal — pause and verify.