Spot a phishing message

Before you click, check who really sent the message and where the link really goes; if either is wrong, delete it.

You will check the sender's address and the true link destination to spot fake emails and texts.

Why it matters

Phishing was the crime type most often reported to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center in 2025. AI tools now help scammers write messages with perfect spelling and grammar, so typos are no longer a reliable warning sign (CISA). Checking the sender and the link still works.

How to do it

1. Notice the warning signs: a message you did not expect, urgent or threatening language ('your account will be closed'), a prize, or a request to log in, pay, or confirm details.
2. Check the sender: look at the full email address, not just the display name. On a phone, tap the sender's name to see the address.
3. Read the domain, the part after the @. It must match the real company exactly. Watch for look-alikes such as amazan.com, extra words, or a different ending such as .net instead of .com.
4. Check the link without clicking: on a computer, hover your mouse over it and read the address that appears. On a phone, press and hold the link to preview it.
5. Find the real domain in a web address. Take the part before the first single slash and read its end: the last two pieces, such as secure-login.net in 'paypal.com.secure-login.net/account', show who owns the site. Anything in front of them can be made up.
6. If you think the message might be real, do not use its link or phone number. Type the company's web address yourself, open its official app, or call the number on your card or bill.
7. Report it, then delete it. In the US, forward phishing emails to reportphishing@apwg.org and texts to 7726 (SPAM), and report to ReportFraud.ftc.gov. In Canada, forward spam texts to 7726 as well, and report fraud to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
8. If you clicked and typed a password, change it right away on the real site and turn on two-factor login.

Common mistakes

• Trusting the display name, such as 'Netflix Support', without checking the address.
• Trusting a message because the sender address looks right. Addresses can be faked (Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre).
• Assuming good grammar means a message is real.
• Clicking 'unsubscribe' in a suspicious email (CISA).

Sources

1. FTC - How to recognize and avoid phishing scams
2. CISA - Recognize and report phishing
3. Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre - Phishing
4. Get Cyber Safe (Government of Canada) - Reporting spam text messages to 7726
5. FBI IC3 - 2025 Internet Crime Report

Sources and numbers last checked October 22, 2026. How we check

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