What’s the Big Deal If…
I don’t know what a phishing e-mail looks like?

PDF Version (290 KB)

Why it is a big deal

You’re putting our department’s electronic network at risk if you get tricked into clicking on an infected link or attachment. You could accidentally download spyware or malware.

Scenario

You receive an e-mail with the subject line “Urgent Matter” and there’s a link to a PDF file. It might be about that new contract you’re working on, but you’re aware it could be fake. What clues do you look for to determine if it’s a phishing e-mail?

Possible actions (Vote on the correct answer)

  • Option 1: Time stamp, signature block, spelling and grammatical errors, generic greeting
  • Option 2: Subtle changes to e-mail domain names
  • Option 3: Hover your mouse over the link to see the true path of URL

  • Explanation
    • Options 1, 2 and 3 are right! These are just some of the clues that an e-mail is fake
    • You need to examine all of these components together. If something is off, then report the e-mail using the Outlook button “Report this E-Mail-Phishing”.

Key take-aways

  • Phishing e-mails are one of the most common methods that cybercriminals use to steal information, so you need to know how to recognize them
  • Open e-mails from unknown sources with extreme caution. Use HALT to help you determine if it is a legitimate e-mail
  • If the e-mail seems fishy to you, it probably is! Do not reply, do not click on any links, and do not open attachments. Report it online to the National Service Desk, and then delete the e-mail
  • If the e-mail seems fishy to you, it probably is! Do not reply, do not click on any links, and do not open attachments. Report it using the Outlook button “Report this E-Mail-Phishing”, and then delete the e-mail

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