How to Spot a Phishing Email in 2025

Phishing emails try to trick you into clicking malicious links or sharing sensitive information. The fastest way to spot one: check the sender's actual email address (not just the display name), look for urgency tactics pressuring immediate action, and hover over links before clicking to see where they really go.

In 2025, AI has made phishing dramatically more dangerous. Scammers now use AI to write perfect, personalized emails that bypass traditional red flags like spelling errors. But there are still ways to protect yourself.

What Is Phishing?

Phishing is a type of cyber attack where criminals pose as legitimate companies or people to steal your personal information. The term comes from "fishing" - attackers cast out bait (fake emails) hoping someone will bite.

The goal varies by attack:

• Credential theft - Fake login pages that capture your username and password
• Malware installation - Attachments or links that install viruses
• Financial fraud - Tricking you into sending money or gift cards
• Data harvesting - Collecting personal information for identity theft
• Business email compromise - Impersonating executives to authorize fraudulent transactions

How AI Has Changed Phishing

Remember when phishing emails were obvious? "Dear Sir/Madam, I am Nigerian prince..." Those days are over.

What AI Enables

Perfect grammar and spelling - AI writes flawless English (or any language), eliminating the easiest red flag.

Personalization at scale - AI can scrape your LinkedIn, find your colleagues' names, reference your company's recent news, and craft emails that feel personally written for you.

Style mimicry - Given examples of how your bank or boss writes, AI can match their tone exactly.

Real-time adaptation - If you respond, AI can continue the conversation naturally.

Volume - One scammer can send thousands of unique, personalized phishing emails per day.

Real Example: AI Phishing in Action

A 2024 attack targeted executives with emails that:

• Used their actual company's email template
• Referenced a real project they were working on
• Came from an address one letter off from a known colleague
• Linked to a perfect replica of their company's login page

Multiple executives fell for it. The scammers had used AI to research each target and craft unique emails.

The 10 Red Flags of a Phishing Email

1. Suspicious Sender Address

The display name might say "Amazon Support" but the actual email address tells the truth. Click or hover on the sender name to reveal the real address.

Red flags:

• Random domains: "amazon-support@customer-service-dept.com"
• Misspellings: "support@arnazon.com" (note the 'rn' mimicking 'm')
• Extra words: "accounts@amazon-security-verify.com"
• Free email for business: "amazon.support@gmail.com"

Legitimate addresses:

• Come from the company's actual domain (@amazon.com)
• Have consistent formatting

2. Urgency and Fear Tactics

"Your account will be suspended in 24 hours!" "Unauthorized login detected - act NOW!" "Your payment was declined - update immediately!"

Scammers want you panicked. Panic bypasses rational thinking.

The truth: Legitimate companies rarely use urgent language. Real security issues don't require you to click email links - you can always log in directly to check.

3. Generic or Slightly Off Greetings

"Dear Valued Customer" when your bank knows your name. Or "Dear John" when you go by Jonathan. These suggest mass-mailing.

Companies you have accounts with know your name and use it correctly.

4. Suspicious Links

How to check: Hover over (don't click!) any link. Look at the bottom of your browser or the tooltip that appears.

Common tricks:

• Subdomain abuse: "amazon.com.malicious-site.com" goes to malicious-site.com
• Lookalike domains: "arnazon.com" or "arnaz0n.com"
• URL shorteners: bit.ly links hide the destination
• Extra paths: "malicious-site.com/amazon.com/login"

If in doubt: Don't click. Go directly to the company's website by typing the address yourself.

5. Requests for Sensitive Information

No legitimate company asks for these via email:

• Passwords
• Full credit card numbers
• Social Security numbers
• Bank account details
• PINs or security codes

If a company needs to verify your identity, they'll ask you to log into their official website directly - not through an email link.

6. Unexpected Attachments

Be extremely cautious with:

• .exe files - Programs that could install malware
• .zip files - Compressed files often hide malware
• .doc/.docx with macros - Macros can execute malicious code
• PDFs - Can contain exploits
• Any attachment you weren't expecting

Even if the email appears to be from someone you know, verify before opening unexpected attachments. Their account may have been compromised.

7. Too Good to Be True

• "You've won $1,000,000!"
• "Claim your free iPhone"
• "You've been selected for a special refund"
• "A deceased relative left you an inheritance"

If it sounds too good to be true, it is.

8. Mismatched Branding

Phishers often get details wrong:

• Slightly off logos or colors
• Different fonts than usual
• Outdated branding
• Poor image quality
• Layout that looks "off"

Compare to legitimate emails from the same company if you're unsure.

9. Strange Requests

Legitimate companies won't ask you to:

• Buy gift cards and send the codes
• Wire money or send cryptocurrency
• Download "security software"
• Install browser extensions
• Share your screen remotely

These are scam indicators regardless of who's asking.

10. Your Gut Says Something's Wrong

If an email feels off, it probably is. Trust your instincts. When in doubt, verify through another channel - call the company directly using a number from their official website, not from the email.

How to Verify Suspicious Emails

Before acting on any suspicious email:

Use Our Free Scam Detector

Paste the email text into our [AI Scam Detector](/tools/ai-scam-detector) for instant analysis. It checks for common phishing patterns and suspicious elements.

Contact the Company Directly

• Go to the company's official website (type the address yourself)
• Find their contact information there
• Call or chat to verify the email was real

Check for Data Breach Connections

Use our [Data Breach Checker](/tools/ai-data-breach-checker) to see if your email has been exposed. If it has, you'll receive more targeted phishing attempts.

Search for Known Scams

Copy a unique phrase from the email and search it with "scam" or "phishing." Often, others have reported the same attack.

What To Do If You Spot Phishing

1. Don't click any links - Not even to "unsubscribe"
2. Don't download attachments - They may contain malware
3. Report it:

• Gmail: Three dots > Report phishing
• Outlook: Right-click > Report > Report phishing
• Apple Mail: Forward to reportphishing@apple.com

1. Delete it - Remove from inbox and trash
2. Warn others - Especially if it impersonates your company

What To Do If You Already Clicked

Don't panic, but act quickly:

Immediate Steps

1. Disconnect from the internet - Unplug ethernet or turn off WiFi. This can stop malware from communicating with attackers.
2. Don't enter any information - If you clicked but haven't submitted anything, close the window immediately.
3. Run a full antivirus scan - Use updated security software to check for malware.

If You Entered Credentials

1. Change that password immediately - Go directly to the real website (don't click any links).
2. Change it everywhere else - Any account using the same or similar password.
3. Enable two-factor authentication - Add this to every account that offers it.
4. Check for unauthorized access - Review recent account activity, login history, and connected devices.

If Financial Information Was Exposed

1. Contact your bank/card company - Report the potential compromise. They can freeze accounts and issue new cards.
2. Monitor statements closely - Watch for unauthorized transactions for the next few months.
3. Consider a credit freeze - Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion to freeze your credit, preventing new accounts from being opened.
4. File reports:

• FTC: reportfraud.ftc.gov
• FBI IC3: ic3.gov
• Local police (for significant losses)

Protecting Yourself Long-Term

Technical Defenses

• Enable spam filtering - Use your email provider's built-in protection
• Use different passwords - A password manager makes this easy
• Enable 2FA everywhere - Use an authenticator app, not SMS when possible
• Keep software updated - Patches fix security vulnerabilities
• Use security software - Antivirus and anti-malware protection

Behavioral Defenses

• Slow down - Urgency is a manipulation tactic
• Verify independently - Never trust contact info in suspicious emails
• When in doubt, don't click - You can always access accounts directly
• Stay skeptical - Even emails from known contacts can be compromised

For Text Message Phishing (Smishing)

The same principles apply to text messages. Use our [Text Scam Detector](/tools/ai-text-scam-detector) to analyze suspicious texts.

The Bottom Line

Phishing has evolved, but your defenses can evolve too. The most important skills:

1. Check sender addresses carefully - Display names lie
2. Hover before clicking - Real URLs often reveal fakes
3. Resist urgency - Legitimate companies give you time
4. Verify independently - Call or visit websites directly
5. Use tools - Our [AI Scam Detector](/tools/ai-scam-detector) provides instant analysis

Even security experts occasionally fall for sophisticated phishing attempts. What matters is recognizing it quickly and responding appropriately.

When in doubt, don't click. Your accounts can wait while you verify - but once you've handed over your credentials, the damage is immediate.