As we approach the end of 2025, phishing scams remain the top cybersecurity threat. Attackers’ goal is to steal your personal data, and while the financial aspect can be crippling, identity theft can have much more serious consequences.
To put things into perspective, in the first quarter of this year, over 1 million attacks were observed. That means there were over 1 million people who fell victim, resulting in financial and emotional damage.
Phishing attacks should be taken seriously, so individuals who spend a significant amount of time online should be aware of what they are and how to protect themselves.
What Are Phishing Scams?
The essence of a phishing attack is fraud, where attackers impersonate a company or individual. Their goal is to collect your data, which will be used for illicit activities. While there are multiple ways an attacker may target you, the most common medium today is email.
There are 4 crucial elements to a phishing attack, each one allowing the attackers to trick their victims into giving them what they want:
- A sense of urgency: Receiving an email about problems with your account or that it would be suspended is the most common approach. This sense of urgency is the main reason why most users don’t double-check anything and fall victim.
- Mimicking the official company or person: Phishing attacks have evolved significantly in recent years, and today’s emails are increasingly difficult to distinguish. Some low-quality efforts often remain unsuccessful, but the rest can be a problem.
- Malicious links: Phishing scams, in which attackers aim to obtain your login information, often contain a link that appears almost identical to the original website. Most people fall victim to this, as they don’t double-check and try to log in without thinking twice.
- Sensitive data: In some cases, attackers will ask you to reply to their email and include the sensitive data that they need. While it’s not always as effective as obtaining information through a phishing site, some people may send the data without realizing it could be a problem.
The Consequences of Becoming a Victim of a Phishing Scam
The damage of phishing attacks is well documented, and it’s a massive problem for the average person, including:
- Financial damage: An attacker gaining access to your bank or credit card information can use it for fraudulent charges. In addition to draining your money, attackers can open credit lines or take out fraudulent loans, which can have a damaging effect on your credit score.
- Emotional stress: Falling victim to a phishing scam isn’t just about the finances, as it can have an emotional impact. Anxiety, frustration, and loss of trust in online services are just a few problems that victims have faced.
- Identity theft: While attackers are often interested in card and bank information, some are more interested in personal information. Identity theft can have long-lasting implications and complications in your life. This is also the main reason why identity theft protection services have become popular in recent years. They offer the tools to keep you safe and reduce financial loss and stress.
How to Spot Phishing Attempts
As good as phishing attacks have become, there are still ways to spot potential attacks:
- Check the address: Whenever you receive an email that appears suspicious, verify the sender’s address. In most cases, you’ll see a small spelling error that is often missed.
- The greeting is generic: If you’re to receive an urgent email about something related to you or your account, the greeting won’t be generic.
- Too urgent: There might be an issue with your account, but if the email reads a bit too urgent and pushy, then that can be a red flag.
- Check the links: The text on the link and the actual link can differ, which is why you’ll need to verify this. Hover over the text with the link and see if they match. If it’s a shortened URL, there are online services that can help you see the original destination.
- Attachments: Getting a suspicious email with an attachment is another red flag. You should never download anything unless you’re 100% positive it’s not a phishing scam.
Tips to Avoid Phishing Scams and Protect Your Identity
Not responding or clicking on links from a suspicious email is just one part of the story.
Here are a few practical tips on how to protect yourself from identity theft or financial difficulties.
- Verify the sender: If you’re getting an email from a company, reach out to the them through verified channels to confirm the email is legitimate.
- Enable 2FA: While 2FA won’t protect you from an actual attack, it will protect your assets because the attacker won’t have access to the second authentication method.
Use a VPN: For a long time, VPNs have been considered our protectors, and the same goes for phishing attacks. Even the VPNs won’t protect you if you decide to click on a link or share your information, but they will protect your data by encrypting your connection.