Phishing Emails Identification : Navigating the Sea of Phishing Emails: Your Comprehensive Guide

                                           

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In an era where our inboxes are flooded with emails daily, understanding how to identify phishing emails is a crucial skill for anyone who relies on email communication. While sophisticated tools are available to security experts and tech professionals, the truth is that most phishing victims are everyday people who don’t have access to such specialized assistance. This article is for you, the everyday email user, looking to protect yourself from phishing threats by recognizing the warning signs without relying on fancy tools.

Let’s start with the basics — what do you see when you open an email? To make things clear, we’ll use an example of a typical phishing email. In these deceptive emails, there are several key elements you should scrutinize to determine if it’s legitimate or a potential phishing attempt.

1. The Sender’s Email Address:Every email address is made up of two parts: the username and the domain name. The username comes before the “@” symbol, and the domain name follows it.
Phishing emails often play tricks with domain names. They might use commonly known domains like “gmail.com” or “outlook.com.” Others may attempt to mimic reputable companies by slightly altering their domain name. For instance, you might see “@facedook.com” instead of “@facebook.com.” These subtle changes can be difficult to spot, but they’re essential in detecting phishing attempts.

2. The Reply-To Email Address:Another critical element to examine is the “reply-to” email address. This address is where your responses are meant to go.
Sometimes, when a cybercriminal gains access to a legitimate email account, they’ll set up a different “reply-to” address. This redirect ensures that your replies end up in the hands of the attacker. It’s a sneaky move that should raise immediate suspicion.

3. The Subject Line:The subject line of an email can reveal a lot about its intentions.
Attacker often employ sensational subject lines to trigger panic and coerce recipients into taking impulsive actions. Be cautious when you see subjects like “Urgent: Your Password Expires in 1 Day,” “Attention Needed!!!” or “Your Credentials Have Been Compromised — Password Change Required.” and one of the most common is “Payment Due”. These emotionally charged subject lines are designed to manipulate you into revealing sensitive information.

Analyzing the Anatomy of a Suspicious Email

Paypal image from: https://www.pcrisk.com/removal-guides/25859-paypal-account-has-been-charged-email-scam

Now, let’s put our newfound knowledge into practice by dissecting a real-life email. The email in the picture appears at first glance to be a routine payment due reminder. However, there’s a critical thinking process that should come into play when dealing with such emails.

1. Expectation and Service Familiarity:The first question to ask yourself is whether you were expecting this email in the first place. Do you actually use the service mentioned in the email? If your answer is no, this should immediately raise suspicions. Random emails about services you don’t use are often red flags.

2. Scrutinizing the Sender:Although the body of the email claims it’s from PayPal, it’s crucial to verify the sender’s information. Don’t just take the email at face value. In this case, the sender may not be PayPal, which is a clear cause for concern. Attackers sometimes manipulate the appearance of emails to make them look legitimate.

3. Delving into Email Details:Now, let’s explore the details hidden beneath the surface. In the screenshot provided, you’ll notice a downward arrow next to the sender’s name. Clicking on this reveals additional information.

4. Examining the Email Details:

Image own by author 

Upon closer inspection, you might find that the email appears to be coming from a seemingly legitimate Gmail address, like “cybershieldjourney@gmail.com.” However, here’s a crucial point — this is the very email address you can use to reach me for any feedback after reading this article! But getting back to the topic at hand, if you look closely, the “reply-to:asdfasdfae@gmail.com” email is different and doesn’t appear to be legitimate. It seems as though someone randomly entered a Gmail address here.
This is a clear indicator that something is amiss. It strongly suggests that this is not a legitimate email from PayPal. Instead, someone might be attempting to obtain your personal data or money through this deceptive message.