Before clicking, replying, downloading an attachment, or entering information, pause and check the full sender address, the link’s actual destination, and whether the request makes sense. If anything is unexpected, verify it through a website or contact method you already trust—not the details in the email.
What makes an email a possible phishing attempt?
Phishing is an attempt to impersonate a trusted organization or person to get you to reveal information, send money, or give someone access to an account. The message may resemble a bank, workplace, familiar service, colleague, friend, or family member. It may ask for personal or financial details, push you to follow a link, or include a download.
A professional layout, familiar logo, or recognizable sender name does not prove that a message is genuine. Google notes that scammers use emotion to prompt action without careful thought. Urgency and pressure are reasons to slow down and verify, not reasons to comply immediately.
What should you inspect before interacting?
- The request: Be cautious if the email demands immediate action, secrecy, payment, a password reset, or sensitive personal or financial information. An urgent request is not proof of fraud, but it deserves independent verification.
- The sender address: Check the full email address, not just the display name. Compare it with the organization or person the message claims to represent, and notice mismatches. Where your email service provides them, authentication details and message headers can offer additional clues.
- The link: Check whether the destination matches what the link text promises. An unexpected or unrelated destination is a reason not to proceed.
- Attachments and downloads: Treat unexpected files or download requests with caution. Do not open a file or provide information just because the message looks familiar.
- The context: Ask whether you expected this message and whether the request is normal for that sender. A surprising request should be verified using a separate, trusted route.
How do you check a link without opening it?
On a computer, move the pointer over a link without clicking and inspect the destination shown by your browser or email app. If the address does not match the link’s promise, looks unexpected, or raises doubt, do not open it. A displayed link label can differ from its destination.
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To check an account alert or sign-in request, open the service through a saved bookmark or type its known address yourself. Do not use the email’s link or contact details to verify the message. If the service shows no corresponding issue after you sign in independently, do not act on the email’s demand.
Email providers may show warning banners or move suspicious messages to spam. Those protections are useful signals, but the absence of a warning does not establish that an email is safe. Google recommends avoiding suspicious links and requests even when no warning appears.
What if the email appears to come from someone you know?
A familiar sender name—or even a message from a real contact’s account—is not conclusive proof. An account may be compromised, and an attacker could use it to send unusual requests or suspicious links.
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Do not reply to the suspicious email or use its links. Contact the person through a phone number or communication channel you already use, and ask whether they sent it. Report the email to your provider as well.
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Do not reply, click links, download files, or enter personal information in a message you suspect is phishing. Use your email provider’s reporting control; its name and location vary by service.
In Gmail on a computer, open the message, select More, then choose Report phishing. Google’s Gmail phishing guidance describes this workflow. If the email appears to come from someone you know, report it and notify them through another channel.
What should you do if you already clicked or entered a password?
If you clicked a link but did not enter information or download a file, stop interacting with the email and do not follow further prompts. Go to the relevant service independently if you need to check your account.
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If you entered a password, stop using the email link. Go directly to the account provider’s official website or app, change the exposed password, and review the account’s security activity. If you reused that password elsewhere, change it on those accounts too. Recovery steps vary by provider, account, and device.
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Google recommends reviewing account security and using stronger second-step verification. Its account guidance describes passkeys as more resistant to phishing than passwords and identifies security keys as its strongest 2-Step Verification option. These measures protect compatible accounts; they do not determine whether an individual email is fraudulent. Check Google’s account protection options for availability and setup details.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can email and browser protections help?
Gmail can identify suspicious messages and display warnings, while Chrome Safe Browsing can warn about unsafe sites. Treat these as additional safeguards, not guarantees: a message without a warning may still be suspicious, so inspect unexpected requests before acting.
Passkeys and security keys can add phishing-resistant sign-in protection for compatible services and devices. A FIDO2 security key is an optional account-protection measure, not an email scanner or phishing detector; availability and setup depend on the service.
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