Some phishing attacks are pretty easy to identify; others can be more sophisticated and quite convincing. If you suspect an email to be a phishing attempt, which of the following actions is/are safe to consider? Select all the options that apply.

Question

Click on any links or attachments in the email to help determine whether the message was sent from a legitimate source. 


Forward the email to as many people as possible to get their opinion on whether it's a phishing attempt or not.


If an email seems suspicious, it is best to contact the supposed sender (e.g. bank) through a trusted channel, instead of replying to the message in question.  


Examine the email to look for some of the typical signs of phishing attacks, like a generic greeting, poor language and unusual requests.   

Answer 1

If you suspect an email to be a phishing attempt, the following actions are safe to consider:

• If an email seems suspicious, it is best to contact the supposed sender (e.g. bank) through a trusted channel, instead of replying to the message in question.

• Examine the email to look for some of the typical signs of phishing attacks, like a generic greeting, poor language and unusual requests.

The other options are not safe actions:

• Clicking on any links or attachments in the email can potentially expose you to malware or lead you to a phishing site.

• Forwarding the email to as many people as possible can increase the risk that others may inadvertently engage with the phishing attempt, and it doesn't provide any reliable information about the legitimacy of the email.