Learn About Phishing
Understand phishing attacks and how to protect yourself from online scams.
What is Phishing?
Phishing is a type of cyber attack where attackers impersonate trustworthy entities to steal sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, or personal data. It’s dangerous because it targets the weakest link in security — humans. Even with strong technology, social engineering tricks can cause breaches.
Over 90% of successful cyber attacks start with phishing attempts.
Types of Phishing Attacks
How many of these do you recognise?
📧 Email Phishing
Fake emails designed to look like they come from real companies
🎯 Spear phishing
Targeted phishing aimed at specific individuals or organizations.
📱 Smishing
Phishing via SMS or text messages.
📞 Vishing
Voice phishing via phone calls, more commonly known as scam calls.
📷 Quishing
Phishing attacks that use QR codes to trick you into visiting malicious websites or downloading harmful content.
📝 Clone phishing
A legitimate email is copied and modified to include malicious links.
How Phishing Works
"Urgent action required", "Your account will be suspended", "Click here to claim your free phone!"
Phishing attacks manipulate emotions such as fear, urgency, curiosity, or greed to trick victims into acting without thinking.
The bottom line is: Think before you act
Always pause and verify suspicious messages. Don’t panic or rush — attackers count on rushed decisions.
How to Spot Phishing
Check the sender
If it looks like it's from a friend or colleague but seems off, confirm with them in person or via a trusted channel.
Spoofed sender address
The email address might be slightly altered to trick you (e.g., support@payp4l.com).
Suspicious links or attachments
Hover over links to see the real URL. Avoid clicking unknown attachments when possible.
Too good to be true
Offers that sound too good to be true usually are. Winning a staycation? Check twice before proceeding.
Urgency and threats
Messages pressuring immediate action or threatening consequences are red flags.
Test your phishing awareness with Google's interactive quiz:
Take the Quiz
(Optimized for desktop use. Name and email is only for simulating challenges, not for signing up)
Protect yourself from being phished
📧 Be cautious with unexpected emails
Don't click links or open attachments from unknown senders. Always verify first.
🎯 Watch for personalized bait
Spear phishing uses your name or workplace to gain your trust — stay alert even if it seems legit.
📱 Think twice before tapping SMS links
Smishing messages often appear urgent. Avoid tapping unknown links or calling strange numbers.
📞 Never give info over phone unless you initiated
Vishing scams often impersonate banks or tech support. Hang up and call ScamShield helpline at 1799.
🔳 Don’t scan random QR codes
Quishing uses malicious QR codes in emails, signs, or even menus. Only scan codes from trusted sources.
📩 Beware of lookalike emails
Clone phishing mimics legitimate emails. Check URLs and attachments carefully, even if the sender looks familiar.