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How to spot a phishing email before it catches you out

Recognise pressure tactics, mismatched addresses and suspicious links before an email puts your accounts at risk.

Office workspace pictured in Lansafe’s phishing-awareness article

Why a fake message can look familiar

Phishing messages can copy logos, names and layouts from real organisations. They may imitate a supplier, colleague, bank or Microsoft 365 notice. A polished design is therefore no guarantee that the sender is genuine.

The clues worth checking

Look beyond the display name to the full sender address. Be wary of urgent account warnings, unexpected invoices, requests for passwords or bank details, and attachments you were not expecting. Check where a link really leads before opening it.

A strange phrase can be a clue, but good grammar does not make a message safe. The full context matters more than any single sign.

Stop, verify and report

Use a known contact route or type a trusted website address yourself instead of following the email. Report suspicious work messages to your IT team. If you have already entered a password or payment details, tell the relevant support team and bank promptly so they can secure the account or payment.

This is a concise editorial summary. Read Lansafe’s original published article.

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