How to Tell If an Email Is Phishing

Start with the request, not the logo

A phishing email can look polished and may copy the name, colors, or language of a company you recognize. The safer question is: what is the message asking you to do?

Warning signs worth checking

• An unexpected request to click a link or open an attachment.
• A message saying there is an urgent problem with your account, payment, delivery, password, or security.
• A request for personal, banking, credit-card, or login information.
• Pressure to act immediately before you have time to verify the story.
• A sender address or destination link that does not match the organization it claims to represent.

If you actually use the company named in the email

Do not use the link or phone number in the suspicious message. Open the company's website or app the way you normally do, or use a phone number you already know is legitimate. If there really is an account problem, you should be able to see it there.

If you already clicked

Do not panic. What you do next depends on whether you entered information or something may have downloaded. Use our step-by-step guide: I clicked a suspicious link — now what?

Report and remove the message

The Federal Trade Commission recommends reporting phishing attempts. Suspicious emails can also be forwarded to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org.

See four common scam warning signs →

Source basis: Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice, “How To Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams” and “Phishing scams can be hard to spot,” consumer.ftc.gov. Guidance checked August 31, 2026.