Today, phishing and ransomware have become the cybercriminals’ weapons of choice. And their main point of entry is still very often… our inbox. Yet, with a few simple habits, it’s possible to thwart the majority of these traps. Here are 10 practical tips to spot email-based attack attempts before it’s too late.
1. Always check the sender
One of the first reflexes to adopt is to carefully examine the sender’s address. Don’t rely solely on the displayed name—it’s often a decoy. Check the full email address: cybercriminals use look-alike domains (e.g., micros0ft.com instead of microsoft.com). Be wary as well of free email providers (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) used for supposedly official companies.
2. Beware of alarming or urgent messages
Most attacks play on fear and urgency. If an email asks you to act immediately under threat of account suspension, loss of access, or fines, take the time to verify the message’s legitimacy.
3. Be cautious with attachments
Attachments are classic vectors for ransomware and malware. Never open an unexpected attachment, even if it appears to come from a known contact. Be especially careful with .exe, .zip, .scr files, or Office documents that require macros.
4. Inspect links before clicking
Before clicking a link, hover your mouse over it to display the real URL. Make sure the domain truly belongs to the official organization. Shortened or slightly altered links should raise suspicion.
5. Watch out for spelling and grammar mistakes
Even though attacks are becoming more sophisticated, many fraudulent emails still contain typos, awkward phrasing, or poor translations. This is often a telltale sign.
6. Never share sensitive data by email
No legitimate organization will ever ask you for your username, password, credit card number, or other sensitive information by email. If it does, it’s almost certainly a phishing attempt.
7. Analyze the signature and tone
A missing official signature, unverifiable contact details, or an unusual tone should set off alarm bells. Compare it with your usual exchanges with that sender.
8. Check the consistency of the request
Always ask yourself whether the request makes sense: a supplier asking you to change their bank details, a colleague urgently asking you to approve a payment… Take the time to verify via another channel (phone call, direct message).
9. For advanced users: analyze email headers
Headers contain valuable technical information about the email’s path. Suspicious sending servers or unknown IP addresses can reveal impersonation attempts.
10. Use protection tools
Finally, don’t neglect technical tools: anti-phishing software, antivirus solutions, email filters, and attachment/link scanners. They are extremely helpful in automatically detecting many threats.
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