Phishing Scams: What They Are & How to Avoid Them
Phishing Scams: What They Are and How to Protect Your Business
One of the Biggest Cyber Threats to UK Businesses
Phishing scams are the most common cyber attacks worldwide, and they are responsible for over 90% of data breaches. These attacks trick users into revealing sensitive information such as passwords, banking details, or company data.
Understanding phishing is critical for protecting your business.
What Is Phishing?
Phishing is a fraudulent attempt to steal information by pretending to be a trusted source.
Common platforms include:
Email
SMS (smishing)
Phone calls (vishing)
Social media messages
Fake login pages
The goal is simple: get you to click, download, or trust something that looks legitimate, but isn’t.
Common Types of Phishing Scams
1. Email Phishing
The most common version. Emails appear to be from:
Banks
HMRC
Microsoft
PayPal
Delivery companies
Your own employees
They often use urgency to pressure you into acting quickly.
2. Spear Phishing
A targeted attack aimed at a specific person, often using personal information gathered from LinkedIn or social media.
3. CEO Fraud
Scammers impersonate senior staff and request urgent payments or sensitive information.
4. Clone Phishing
A real email is duplicated, but links and attachments are replaced with malicious versions.
5. Smishing & Vishing
Cybercriminals use text messages or phone calls to impersonate companies or banks.
How to Avoid Phishing
Look closely at email addresses
Never click suspicious links
Avoid downloading unknown attachments
Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA)
Train staff regularly
Keep devices updated
Use email filtering and antivirus software
Education is the strongest defence.
CapNet Can Protect Your Business from Phishing
We provide phishing training, email filtering, cybersecurity tools, and full IT support, keeping your business safe around the clock.
👉 Contact CapNet today to secure your systems and train your team.