With our businesses becoming more digital, the need for heightened cybersecurity awareness has never been greater. One area that continues to be a headache for Australian SMEs is the world of phishing emails, one of the top 3 threats. You’ve probably heard the term ‘phishing,’ but do you know what it really means?
What is a Phishing Email?
A phishing email is a fraudulent message designed to trick the recipient into divulging personal information, passwords, or even making unauthorised payments. These emails often mimic familiar brands, authorities, or even work colleagues or bosses to appear credible.
They can move between platform as well, i.e. by starting with an email and then moving on to a messenger app like whatsapp or telegram.
Why Are They So Successful?
The success of phishing lies in its simplicity and psychological manipulation. By appealing to our curiosity, urgency, or even fear, these emails get us to drop our guard and click on or do something we shouldn’t. The cost of falling prey to a phishing email isn’t just monetary; it can have a massive ripple effect on your business, leading to data breaches and a loss of customer trust.
Why Are Phishing and Scam Emails So Dangerous to Businesses?
The most common phishing attempts are trying to gain access to your emails, files, accounts or other clous software you may be using. The greater the financial gain, the more likely it’s a target. Damage from falling for a phishing campaign can include:
Financial Loss
One of the most immediate effects of falling for a phishing scam is financial loss, both direct and indirect. Direct financial losses can result from funds being transferred to fraudulent accounts. Indirect losses include the cost of addressing the breach, potential legal consequences, and the loss of productivity during downtime.
Data Breach
Phishing emails often serve as an entry point for more complex attacks, leading to a full-blown data breach. Sensitive company data, customer records, and trade secrets could be exposed.
Reputation Damage
Customers put their trust in businesses to keep their data secure. A breach due to a phishing attack can significantly erode that trust and reputation, often leading to a loss of customers or clients.
Regulatory Consequences
Depending on the industry you’re in, strict guidelines about data protection may lead to hefty fines on businesses that fail to safeguard customer data.
Because of these damaging outcomes, it’s crucial for everyone—especially employees within a business—to be able to identify and guard against phishing attacks.
To help you navigate these murky waters, here are 15 pointers that will make you an expert at spotting phishing emails.
16 Pointers to Spot a Phishing Email
1. Unusual Sender Email
For example, if you get an email from “[email protected],” that zero in place of an ‘o’ is a red flag. Generally, emails from freemail accounts like Gmail.com or Hotmail.com are never used by legit companies as they send from their own domains. A third source are hacked accounts from other internet users – receiving an email from a Romanian nursery about your Telstra mobile should raise flags from the get-go.
We recommend to implement an indicator which shows that emails come from outside your business. This helps with any phishing and other scams that impersonate a boss or coworker. <Instruction can be found here>
2. Generic Greeting
Phishing emails often use generic greetings like “Dear Customer” because they don’t know your name. Genuine businesses with whom you have a relationship will use your first name.
3. Spelling and Grammar Errors
Reputable companies have editors. Poor grammar and numerous spelling errors are a dead giveaway. However, with the rise of Artificial Intelligence, this pointer is on the way out. Modern scam emails can now even emulate the writing style of a sender, i.e. heavy use of emoticons.
4. Unusual or Urgent Requests
“Your account will be terminated in 24 hours if you don’t verify your email!” – these sorts of messages aim to create a sense of urgency. As with all phishing approaches, they usually appeal to decency or urgency to trick you into handing over logon details.
5. Suspicious Links
Always hover over links to check their destination. For instance, a link might display as “www.yourbank.com.au” but point to a different URL like www.wellscamyouhard.com.
6. Attachments
Unless you’re expecting an attachment, be very wary—especially if it’s an executable .exe .bat .lnk or .zip file. Nowadays, they should all be blocked by default, really! If you don’t expect an attachment, don’t open it.
Also, if your business is not yet blocking HTM and HTML files, make sure you do. It’s one of the most commonly used phishing tricks which opens a fake local logon page that looks the part.
A more recent appearance are QR codes which take you to scam websites on your mobile devices. Same outcome!
7. Asking for Personal Information
A legitimate company will never ask for your password, date of birth or payment details via email.
8. Mismatched Branding
Mismatched logos, fonts, or colours can indicate a phishing attempt. As with spelling errors, this indicator is on the way out due to the rise of Artificial Intelligence.
9. No Contact Information
Legitimate emails usually contain a signature with the company’s contact information. Phishing emails often skip this. Under Australian SPAM law, not only do companies have to clearly indicate their details, but they also need to provide a simple unsubscribe option. If both are missing, it’s sure not to be legit.
10. QR Code
A more recent appearance are QR codes which take you to scam websites on your mobile devices. Same outcome!
11. Request for Money
If an email is asking you to send or wire money, especially to a foreign account, that’s always a scam. Unless you’re a currency trader, maybe. No matter how convincing the story or reason: Think twice and ask for a reflection of the story by someone you trust. This simple switch breaker will often make you realise you’re about to be scammed.
12. File Download Redirects
An email asking you to download a strange file type, such as a .bat or .exe file, is almost certainly phishing. Or worse: Ransomware. Once on your local computer and run, that software can do whatever it likes to, including accessing open internet pages giving access to your social media accounts or emails.
13. Offers That Are Too Good to Be True
Emails that offer unsolicited job offers or lottery wins are usually scams. Or that half price luxury car for that matter. If it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck and walks like a duck, it’s likely… a duck!
And why would a German magnate donate you 1.5m Euros, really???
14. Overuse of Capitals and Exclamation Marks
An email that contains a subject line with too many capital letters or exclamation marks should raise eyebrows. Another favourite are fireworks and party emoticons. Click delete right there.
15. Lack of Transparency
If an email talks about an “account” or “payment” but fails to specify what kind of account or what the payment is for, that’s suspicious. In order to broaden the potential victim base, generalising requests is a technique often used. If it’s not clear, it’s a smear!
16. Gut Feeling
Sometimes you just know something’s off. Trust your instincts and double-check before taking any action. If in doubt, throw it out! Or call the sender via a number that was NOT in the email to verify authenticity.
With these 16 pointers, you’ll be a pro at identifying phishing emails and keeping your business secure. We all have a role to play when it comes to cybersecurity, so let’s make it a priority! If you’d like to discuss Security Awareness Training, contact us anytime.
// Testimonials
Hear from our Happy Clients
After more than 30 years in the industry, we know our stuff when it comes to ICT solutions and cyber security. But don’t take our word for it.
Another client success story by Jam Cyber: The Workplace Lawyers Sydney. Hear Co-Founder Hannah Ellis talk about her experience since 2015.
Play Video
BRAD NICHOLSON
Brad talks about how little disruption was incurred when their interstate offices were moved to the cloud and appropriately secured using the Jam Cyber security framework.
Play Video
PHIL EDWARDS
Phil explains how Jam Cyber has been the trusted Cyber and IT partner since 2006 by adjusting solutions to scaling business.
We have been with Jam Cyber for years and we couldn't be happier. Their cyber security is second to none. Each month they also send out training videos to advise what to look out for with cyber threats being everywhere these days. If you want everything fully protected, I strongly suggest signing on with Jam Cyber - Max Sollmer - General Manager - Storm Support Services
Allison B.
1730347316
The team have been assisting us for 10+ years with IT and cybersecurity issues.
Sh D.
1730336351
Easy to communicate with and very professional.
Tom W.
1729147183
Professional, responsive and good to deal with.
Vee B.
1729123903
Always a great experience! Fast and easy fix with Kurt. thank you JamCyber.
Victoria B.
1728951698
Great individualised service.Ferdinand took the time to work through the process with me and customise the prompts to work for our business.
Nathan D.
1726536170
Jasper was very responsive and helpful when it came to setting up my work laptop
Rami F.
1723670821
Michelle R.
1723185702
The team actioned my Citrix issue the same day. They were courteous enough to contact me via call and email to let me know they are about to connect and work on the issue. I watched how Jasper (the tech) sorted and resolved it right away. He even made sure all is good before he jumped off the chat. Thank you.
Marie M.
1722995084
I am grateful for the help that Kurt D. provided to immediately resolve the issues my work laptop was having. He was patient and committed to find the solution. He did a great job.
Katrina De C.
1721340073
Highly recommend Jimmy and Jam Cyber. They have helped our firm for years they go above and beyond and resolve every issue we have in a timely manner, can always count on them to be there to help when needed.
Hannah M.
1721101624
quick communication and friendly staff.
John V.
1720685063
Excellent service from Dianne. She very patient and knowledgeable and resolved the issues. Thank you! Highly recommend using Jam Cyber.
Israel A.
1720499049
I am extremely satisfied with the IT support I received in resloving my internet connection issue. The response was prompt, and Jasper was incredibly knowledgeable and professional. He patiently guided me through each step. My connection is now stable. I highly recommend their services to anyone in need of technical assistance.
Managers M.
1719883966
Jamcyber have been super helpful with our migrations and IT support.very professional and quick responses to our requests for assistance with our cyber security.
Peter T.
1718759377
Jimmy at Jam Cyber Security is absolutely fantastic! He has been helpful and informative and always has a professional and positive attitude in the work that he does.
Manuela G.
1718756108
The team at Jamcyber and Cyber security are absolutely amazing! They have assisted me with all technical, IT and security related matters in an efficient manner. I would highly recommend Jimmy and the team for all IT and security needs.
Mary Ann Dela C.
1718166047
Jam Cyber is very reliable cybersecurity solution. Its clear instruction and skyrocket effectiveness in threat detection and strong customer support, make it an excellent choice for small to medium-sized businesses. Their comprehensive protection and ease of use justify the investment. Highly recommended for businesses seeking a dependable cybersecurity solution.
Joyce N.
1717715588
Ferdie is an extremely friendly, professional person to deal with. It is always a pleasure to have him help me through my issues.
Kate Aubrey B.
1717473111
Jam has been a very helpful for our company's cybersecurity. Very approachable team plus has deep understanding of the latest threats have kept our systems secure and our data protected. The level of service and support we receive is great. Recommend them for any cybersecurity needs! Thanks, Jam Team!
Adellie L.
1717403027
The tech support team was fantastic. They were responsive and knowledgeable. I highly recommend their reliable and efficient support services. Thank you Dianne and Jimmy for the outstanding help!
Sarah Y.
1716863678
Jimmy Gao from Jam Cyber is great - he is very responsive, quick to resolution and knowledgeable. I would higher recommend Jimmy for all your IT and cyber security needs.
Sharon D.
1716532992
Without Jimmy we could not function. He has the answer to all our IT questions and solves every problem we face. And it's all done with a smile!
Owen C.
1716505410
Jimmy from Jam Cyber is extremely helpful and professional. He has been dedicated and attentive in resolving our issues and always carry’s a positive attitude.
Dy-ell H.
1715819414
Jam Cyber have been extremely helpful. A big shout out to Jimmy Gao who is always ready and able to help. He definitely makes our jobs easier and smoother, especially with the new system upgrade we just rolled out. It would not have been possible without him.
Gabriella K.
1715817166
Jimmy at Jam Cyber is amazing! He has put in a lot of time and effort in transitioning our business to a new cloud based platform. He is attentive and resolves issues with minimal fuss. Highly recommend Jimmy for your IT needs.
Ben and Elissa O.
1715816587
Jimmy Gao at Jam Cyber is professional, responsive and incredibly knowledgeable. Our firm is lucky to work with Jimmy who always provides top quality support and has really helped us with our IT projects and cyber security. I highly recommend Jimmy and the Jam Cyber team.
James T.
1712263326
Jamcyber has provided The Dataline Group with specialist IT support for many years. We always receive prompt service and we always obtain the right outcome, thanks to the knowledge and expertise of Ian and Ferdinand. I recommend this business.
Tong T.
1712193363
Jimmy completed a comprehensive review of our current set up and provided a cost effective solution that met our needs.Very friendly and easy to deal with
Calvin N
1710807031
Professional and reliable service. Resolved all my problems quickly.
jsf
1710803278
We engaged their services for a comprehensive suite of IT solutions, encompassing email hosting, IT support, and office network file sharing. Their responsiveness and professionalism were exemplary, earning our highest recommendation.
LooMate
1707428062
I've been with Jam Cyber for 15 years and love dealing with Markus and Ian and all staff. Best value in Australia.
Jasmine H.
1707373439
Jamcyber has been great with our cyber security roll out and migration to Microsoft 365.Jimmy and the team is very knowledgeable and quick to respond. It is good to have a support that you can actually talk to over the phone. Highly recommended.
Irene W
1701390148
Balance Insurance - Jam cyber has been a big help with my cyber security and voip services. Jimmy and his team is always quick to respond and professional. highly recommended.
Karen R.
1700477039
Excellent IT support & cyber security. Highly recommend - fast response time & professional service.
Tania M.
1699585073
Jam cyber helped me quickly and effortlessly with my IT issue.
Elissa Z.
1698974121
Jam Cyber has provided us with exceptional IT services for years now. Jimmy from Jam Cyber is professional, responsive and very knowledgeable across all things to do with our IT needs. Jam Cyber assists with all aspects of IT at including cyber security and selecting the best hardware for our firm.
Dana S.
1698371121
Awesome quick response always! Jam Cyber help us with Cyber Security and IT for our firm! Very helpful and always available!
Andrew F.
1674511498
We highly recommend the services of Jam Cyber who have been managing all of our IT and Telecommunications plus Cybersecurity for over 12 years. The team at Jam Cyber have been amazing, their systems and procedures have kept our IT operations running smoothly the entire time and their response timing and availability has been excellent.Thanks and regards,Andrew FinlaysonManaging Director Carrington Property Group
christopher K.
1659684395
We have used Jam Cyber for 8 years and been very happy with their service. They have been there when we needed them
Yvonne C
1658959147
Competent, confident, consistent, caring. Markus, Jimmy (and now Ferdi, Blair, May) and the team's level of service has not waned since 2012; they treat their customers, regardless of size, with integrity and professionalism. The picture included here is non IT/techie because although the team "live and breath" IT, they know how to speak to non-IT/techies.
Ronique L.
1657840907
Golden Age has used Jam Cyber for the last 2-3 years to support our cyber security and IT needs. They have always been responsive and solved any problems that came up. Would recommend!
Sharon P.
1655956894
The team are very knowledgeable and are always very helpful. Highly recommended.
Simone H.
1649560212
I can't recommend Markus, Jimmy, John, Ferdie and the team at JamCyber more highly. Cyber security and functioning IT solutions are vital for the day to day operation of my legal practice and JamCyber is across it all. The team is always very responsive, lovely to deal with, efficient and communicate clearly (they don't speak "IT" and expect we'll always follow). They're simply the best.
Samantha H
1647995235
Jimmy and the team at Jam Cyber are so knowledgeable, reliable and quick to respond to any issue, big or small. Jimmy in particular has been great to deal with - I highly recommend him and his team for IT support services.
Vania H.
1646112210
When I first started my legal practice, I had very little idea about cyber security and what is required. Markus and the team and Jamcyber walked me through everything and set it up perfectly. If I have anything done, like I need a new email set up or onboarding of a new staff member, they’re onto it, as soon as possible – it’s seamless. These guys know IT and they know cyber security – they’re also the best I’ve come across. If you want the best, use Jamcyber for everything IT-related.
Uma D.
1640053418
Jimmy from JamCyber is extremely helpful. He is very pleasant, patient and always gets the job fixed quickly. Thank you!
PE Family L.
1640047896
Jam cyber has greatly assisted us with our cyber security and it has been a great pleasure working with them
Kelly D.
1639107821
Jimmy and the team at Jam Cyber are always helpful and easy to deal with.
Carole W.
1639102760
Always great doing business with Jimmy and the team at Jam Cyber.
//Cybersecurity for business
16 Ways to Spot a Phishing Email:
Your Guide to Safer Inboxes
With our businesses becoming more digital, the need for heightened cybersecurity awareness has never been greater. One area that continues to be a headache for Australian SMEs is the world of phishing emails, one of the top 3 threats. You’ve probably heard the term ‘phishing,’ but do you know what it really means?
What is a Phishing Email?
A phishing email is a fraudulent message designed to trick the recipient into divulging personal information, passwords, or even making unauthorised payments. These emails often mimic familiar brands, authorities, or even work colleagues or bosses to appear credible.
They can move between platform as well, i.e. by starting with an email and then moving on to a messenger app like whatsapp or telegram.
Why Are They So Successful?
The success of phishing lies in its simplicity and psychological manipulation. By appealing to our curiosity, urgency, or even fear, these emails get us to drop our guard and click on or do something we shouldn’t. The cost of falling prey to a phishing email isn’t just monetary; it can have a massive ripple effect on your business, leading to data breaches and a loss of customer trust.
Why Are Phishing and Scam Emails So Dangerous to Businesses?
The most common phishing attempts are trying to gain access to your emails, files, accounts or other clous software you may be using. The greater the financial gain, the more likely it’s a target. Damage from falling for a phishing campaign can include:
Financial Loss
One of the most immediate effects of falling for a phishing scam is financial loss, both direct and indirect. Direct financial losses can result from funds being transferred to fraudulent accounts. Indirect losses include the cost of addressing the breach, potential legal consequences, and the loss of productivity during downtime.
Data Breach
Phishing emails often serve as an entry point for more complex attacks, leading to a full-blown data breach. Sensitive company data, customer records, and trade secrets could be exposed.
Reputation Damage
Customers put their trust in businesses to keep their data secure. A breach due to a phishing attack can significantly erode that trust and reputation, often leading to a loss of customers or clients.
Regulatory Consequences
Depending on the industry you’re in, strict guidelines about data protection may lead to hefty fines on businesses that fail to safeguard customer data.
Because of these damaging outcomes, it’s crucial for everyone—especially employees within a business—to be able to identify and guard against phishing attacks.
To help you navigate these murky waters, here are 15 pointers that will make you an expert at spotting phishing emails.
16 Pointers to Spot a Phishing Email
1. Unusual Sender Email
For example, if you get an email from “[email protected],” that zero in place of an ‘o’ is a red flag. Generally, emails from freemail accounts like Gmail.com or Hotmail.com are never used by legit companies as they send from their own domains. A third source are hacked accounts from other internet users – receiving an email from a Romanian nursery about your Telstra mobile should raise flags from the get-go.
We recommend to implement an indicator which shows that emails come from outside your business. This helps with any phishing and other scams that impersonate a boss or coworker. <Instruction can be found here>
2. Generic Greeting
Phishing emails often use generic greetings like “Dear Customer” because they don’t know your name. Genuine businesses with whom you have a relationship will use your first name.
3. Spelling and Grammar Errors
Reputable companies have editors. Poor grammar and numerous spelling errors are a dead giveaway. However, with the rise of Artificial Intelligence, this pointer is on the way out. Modern scam emails can now even emulate the writing style of a sender, i.e. heavy use of emoticons.
4. Unusual or Urgent Requests
“Your account will be terminated in 24 hours if you don’t verify your email!” – these sorts of messages aim to create a sense of urgency. As with all phishing approaches, they usually appeal to decency or urgency to trick you into handing over logon details.
5. Suspicious Links
Always hover over links to check their destination. For instance, a link might display as “www.yourbank.com.au” but point to a different URL like www.wellscamyouhard.com.
6. Attachments
Unless you’re expecting an attachment, be very wary—especially if it’s an executable .exe .bat .lnk or .zip file. Nowadays, they should all be blocked by default, really! If you don’t expect an attachment, don’t open it.
Also, if your business is not yet blocking HTM and HTML files, make sure you do. It’s one of the most commonly used phishing tricks which opens a fake local logon page that looks the part.
A more recent appearance are QR codes which take you to scam websites on your mobile devices. Same outcome!
7. Asking for Personal Information
A legitimate company will never ask for your password, date of birth or payment details via email.
8. Mismatched Branding
Mismatched logos, fonts, or colours can indicate a phishing attempt. As with spelling errors, this indicator is on the way out due to the rise of Artificial Intelligence.
9. No Contact Information
Legitimate emails usually contain a signature with the company’s contact information. Phishing emails often skip this. Under Australian SPAM law, not only do companies have to clearly indicate their details, but they also need to provide a simple unsubscribe option. If both are missing, it’s sure not to be legit.
10. QR Code
A more recent appearance are QR codes which take you to scam websites on your mobile devices. Same outcome!
11. Request for Money
If an email is asking you to send or wire money, especially to a foreign account, that’s always a scam. Unless you’re a currency trader, maybe. No matter how convincing the story or reason: Think twice and ask for a reflection of the story by someone you trust. This simple switch breaker will often make you realise you’re about to be scammed.
12. File Download Redirects
An email asking you to download a strange file type, such as a .bat or .exe file, is almost certainly phishing. Or worse: Ransomware. Once on your local computer and run, that software can do whatever it likes to, including accessing open internet pages giving access to your social media accounts or emails.
13. Offers That Are Too Good to Be True
Emails that offer unsolicited job offers or lottery wins are usually scams. Or that half price luxury car for that matter. If it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck and walks like a duck, it’s likely… a duck!
And why would a German magnate donate you 1.5m Euros, really???
14. Overuse of Capitals and Exclamation Marks
An email that contains a subject line with too many capital letters or exclamation marks should raise eyebrows. Another favourite are fireworks and party emoticons. Click delete right there.
15. Lack of Transparency
If an email talks about an “account” or “payment” but fails to specify what kind of account or what the payment is for, that’s suspicious. In order to broaden the potential victim base, generalising requests is a technique often used. If it’s not clear, it’s a smear!
16. Gut Feeling
Sometimes you just know something’s off. Trust your instincts and double-check before taking any action. If in doubt, throw it out! Or call the sender via a number that was NOT in the email to verify authenticity.
With these 16 pointers, you’ll be a pro at identifying phishing emails and keeping your business secure. We all have a role to play when it comes to cybersecurity, so let’s make it a priority! If you’d like to discuss Security Awareness Training, contact us anytime.
// Testimonials
Hear from our Happy Clients
After more than 30 years in the industry, we know our stuff when it comes to ICT solutions and cyber security. But don’t take our word for it.
Hear what our clients have to say.
HANNAH ELLIS
Another client success story by Jam Cyber: The Workplace Lawyers Sydney. Hear Co-Founder Hannah Ellis talk about her experience since 2015.
BRAD NICHOLSON
Brad talks about how little disruption was incurred when their interstate offices were moved to the cloud and appropriately secured using the Jam Cyber security framework.
PHIL EDWARDS
Phil explains how Jam Cyber has been the trusted Cyber and IT partner since 2006 by adjusting solutions to scaling business.
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