Can you spot a phishing email? Take this test and find out!

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One of the oldest, nastiest and most lucrative tools used by hackers is phishing – a method to fool you into revealing your personal and sensitive information such as debit/card numbers, passwords, ATM pin, date of birth – any data that can personal identify you.

Here’s an example of a classic phishing attack:

You receive an email from your bank warning you that your banking account will be TERMINATED unless you verify yourself by sharing details such as your ATM PIN, existing login ID and password, debit card number, and the CVV code. Thinking this to be important and believing what the email just informed you, you do as you were told to – you give away all these confidential details. But what has actually happened? You just gave away all this information to a hacker who tricked you with a fake email and a fraudulent story about your net banking account. You have been phished!

And this is just one example of a ‘simply-designed’ phishing attack. There are phishing emails that are so cleverly done, even computer security experts fail to see through them sometimes. So, we’ve collated the below samples to let you test your skill in how to spot a phishing email? Good luck!

Sample #1.

outlook_phishing_email

Q. Is this a phishing email?
• YES
• NO

 

Sample #2.

spear-phishing-11

Q. Is this a phishing email?
• YES
• NO

 

Sample #3.

Scam_phishing_email

Q. Is this a phishing email?
• YES
• NO


Sample #4.

Paypal_phishing_email

Q. Is this a phishing email?
• YES
• NO


Sample #5.

Bank_phishing_email

Q. Is this a phishing email?
• YES
• NO

 

If you got all the answers correct, then you are in the GREEN zone. If not, then don’t worry; just jot down the below tips on how to spot a phishing email.


How to spot a phishing email?

Remember, a phishing email…

#1. Would always carry an urgent tone – something that requires you to take immediate action.

#2. Warns you of extreme consequences if you don’t do what’s been told you to do – just like in the example given above.

#3. Lures you with money or offers that seem too irresistible to ignore.

#4. Always urges you to click on a link, download an attachment, fill up a form or call on a number.

#5. Might lure you with interesting proposals like finding a date or meeting someone from your city.

#6. Misuses your emotion to trick you into paying up for charities or other social causes.

Having said all of that, not every email from your bank or a charitable organization is fake. But to be on a safer side, verify the content of such emails first with the sender and then take an informed decision. As they say, “It’s better to err on the side of caution.” Stay safe!

Share this post with your friends and help them know how to spot a phishing email.

 

 

This post has been updated as of 04.05.2018

Rajiv Singha

Rajiv Singha


61 Comments

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  1. Avatar Onil SonawaniDecember 8, 2016 at 5:53 PM

    Hi ,
    – Check the sender email id carefully.
    – Many times you get such mails from famous banks where recipient don’t have any account in that bank.
    – Many times you get phishing mails related to couriers where you don’t expect such courier from any one.

    Reply
    • Is it scientific? It is a guess work.May be some unknown friend may write to me not on banks but on different matter.How do I know that?

      Reply
  2. I gone through the whole mail but couldn- not find out the difference between phishing @ real.

    Reply
  3. Good Article. It would be helpful if we educate people to NOT TO CLICK the links or reply BUT ‘Open safe browser and login to their Banks site as they have been doing and also checking whether PADLOCK and security certificate is issued in correct name.
    For some Banks the security certificates and original sites are confusing too.
    With more thrust on Digital or online transactions need to educate more

    IS THERE IS ANY WAY TO KNOW WHETHER YOU ARE USING TRUSTED MOBILE APPS? HOW TO VALIDATE THAT AS THERE IS NO WAY TO CHECK WHETHER APP IS CONNECTING TO SECURE SERVER OR NOT CAPTURING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

    Reply
  4. A basic thumb rule users need to remember is maximum phishing e mails will come from mail-id like xyz@hotmail.com, xyz.ANZgrindlaysbank@spoofdomain.com etc. Users will be prompted to send reply to domains like hotmail , live etc etc. All banks and financial organizations will use their own registered domains to send or receive emails. But primarily they will never ask the user for sensitive informations through e-mails or routed links….

    Reply
  5. Avatar ANSUMAY DATTADecember 16, 2016 at 10:07 AM

    Excellent advice.

    Reply
  6. Avatar prasant kumarbhyuanDecember 16, 2016 at 4:14 PM

    i can not find error

    Reply
    • 1) senders Email id
      2) urgency, a deadline of 48 hours
      3) Dear_, it is a bulk mail
      4) PayPal resolution link, open it separately in web and find out
      5) It is a final reminder, additionally again a bulk mail where your name is not mentioned

      Reply
  7. Avatar CHENARAM bHATIDecember 16, 2016 at 4:45 PM

    How Much Hacking stopped the computer And Other Device !
    Quick Heal Total Security Instoled Computer

    Reply
  8. Avatar pankaj kumarDecember 16, 2016 at 6:36 PM

    right

    Reply
  9. Avatar KISHOR KUMAR DASDecember 16, 2016 at 7:58 PM

    Thank you for your most valuable information.

    Reply
  10. A GOOD ANTIVIRUS

    Reply
  11. Avatar shubhamphule@ymail.comDecember 16, 2016 at 9:40 PM

    GOOD ONE RAJIB KEEP SHARING SOME MORE TO HAVE A CLEARILTY ON ONLINE TRANSACTIONS

    Reply
  12. Avatar Shrikant lokhandeDecember 16, 2016 at 10:45 PM

    It is a phishing email

    Reply
  13. -I don’t enter my bank related any thing on any site which I don’t trust
    -I click on link given in received email and on new window opened I don’t type anything of my bank account related even debit, credit.
    -If I need to do some thing bank related activity, I always open official site and always use bank provided vitual key board for password

    Reply
  14. Avatar Rajesh sharmaDecember 17, 2016 at 11:20 AM

    Excellent advice.

    Reply
  15. very informative and superbly presented. Big thanks

    Reply
  16. Avatar umaa.smriti@gmail.comDecember 17, 2016 at 7:41 PM

    i cant open my google chrome or mozzila firefox kindly help…

    Reply
    • Hi Umaa,

      Restart your computer and try opening the browsers. If the problem persists, then you can reset the browsers.

      Regards,

      Reply
  17. Avatar bkpatra24671@gmail.comDecember 17, 2016 at 10:00 PM

    dO NOT WANT TO PUBLISH MY EMAIL TO ANY ONE,IF REQUIRED ASK ME TO DO/OPTION.

    Reply
  18. very worthy information thanks

    Reply
  19. Avatar ansari faisalDecember 17, 2016 at 11:03 PM

    renwe quick heal

    Reply
  20. Avatar ansari faisalDecember 17, 2016 at 11:06 PM

    Quick heal renew

    Reply
  21. thanks for inform us.

    Reply
  22. Avatar Gaurav barotDecember 18, 2016 at 8:30 AM

    Nice

    Reply
  23. very useful

    Reply
  24. Avatar Muneeb BashirDecember 18, 2016 at 11:51 AM

    thank uuu @Quick Heal Team

    Reply
  25. Avatar RAVI HINDOCHADecember 18, 2016 at 9:29 PM

    So does QUICK HEAL provides any way to escape from these kind of attacks ???

    Reply
  26. Avatar Nilesh Devidas GayakwadDecember 19, 2016 at 12:57 AM

    Thank you

    Reply
  27. Avatar Rezaul Karim ChowdhuryDecember 19, 2016 at 7:35 AM

    I love you quick heal

    Reply
  28. netbanking credit/atm users know very well

    Reply
  29. Avatar ARUN BHARDWAJDecember 19, 2016 at 12:27 PM

    THANKS FOR INFORMATION TO SAFEGUARD FROM PHISING

    Reply
  30. I like Quick Heal Security….

    Reply
  31. Excellent advise with Examples.

    Reply
  32. thank you.

    Reply
  33. Nice security

    Reply
  34. Avatar Sanjaykamti888268@gmail.comDecember 20, 2016 at 6:16 AM

    I like it

    Reply
  35. Avatar Mukesh DongariaDecember 20, 2016 at 11:17 AM

    Thanks for advice .
    Nice job, sir.

    Reply
  36. Avatar Sukumar AdhikariDecember 20, 2016 at 1:03 PM

    Very useful advice

    Reply
  37. Avatar kadamb kalpeshbhai parekhDecember 21, 2016 at 5:04 PM

    1.yes
    2.yes
    3.yes
    4.yes
    5.
    yes

    Reply
  38. Avatar VIJAY BANSALDecember 21, 2016 at 7:42 PM

    THIS IS VERY GOOD FOR INTRENET SEQURITY

    Reply
  39. thank you sir ,thank u very very much

    Reply
  40. its a serious issue can we have permanent solution for this?

    Reply
  41. Avatar Sanjay kumar mahatoDecember 22, 2016 at 3:47 PM

    Oooooos! very nice

    Reply
  42. Avatar shivam patelDecember 22, 2016 at 4:30 PM

    here in my pc there is a virus name ransomware.Lnk and i wanted to remove it from my pc so what i do please tell me

    Reply
  43. Its a very gud apps which scan all the viruses from phone n as well as memory card and it is very easy to use.

    Reply
  44. Avatar Lala Sangram RayDecember 23, 2016 at 3:29 PM

    thanx for awareness

    Reply
  45. Avatar Shivam PandyaDecember 23, 2016 at 6:02 PM

    The Best thing as you say and also other People comment here but you have to take care of Links.
    Example:
    http://www.facebook.com/
    and fake is like this.
    http://www.m.facebOok.com/ or http://www.FAcebook.com or
    http://www.facebook.com/2aghqw…. like this type things you need to take from this type things.

    Reply
  46. Avatar rudrapratap27080@gmail.comDecember 24, 2016 at 12:15 AM

    stop phishing

    Reply
  47. Capacity to identify phishing in our email, we must know how to solve the sign. It protects our cash and other vital information.

    Reply
  48. It is very useful to us. It is therefore requested to Quick Heal Team to may please be traced out when such type of email received. Thanks

    Reply
  49. Avatar Satish.ranadey@gmail.comDecember 30, 2016 at 2:11 PM

    Good

    Reply
  50. Avatar Prasanna ThapaJanuary 5, 2017 at 10:35 PM

    if i went to a phishing website, will it be exactly same as original one?

    Reply
    • Rajiv Singha Rajiv SinghaJanuary 16, 2017 at 7:12 PM

      Hi Prasanna,

      Most phishing websites look exactly like the original one. So, it is recommended to have an antivirus that offers an anti-phishing feature.

      Regards,

      Reply
  51. Avatar Abdul Kashim TalukdarJanuary 20, 2017 at 2:24 PM

    Thanks
    Very helpful for safety……………

    Reply