Imagine it’s Monday morning and your inbox pings with a message from “Accounting” marked urgent. The email says the company’s bank details changed and asks you to wire payment immediately. The logo looks right, the sender’s name is familiar – but something feels off. If your gut says “phishing alert,” listen to it. Phishing emails are bogus messages that trick you into clicking bad links or giving up secrets. They’re getting craftier and more professional-looking by the day. In fact, a whopping 94% of malware infections now start from a malicious email, and over 80% of reported security incidents are phishing-related. In other words, that “urgent” email is far more likely to be a cyberattack bait than a legitimate request.

Even tech-savvy executives aren’t immune. As a cybersecurity advisor with decades of scars and stories, I’ve seen CEOs and CFOs nearly get duped by fake messages from “partners” or even phony emails impersonating themselves. The attackers prey on our trust and busy schedules. They’ll spoof a familiar address (“boss@yourcompany.com” with a subtle typo) or latch onto hot news (“Invoice Attached – COVID-19 relief funds”). One careless click, and you might unleash malware or send your login credentials straight to a criminal’s inbox.

So how do you spot a phish before you get hooked? First, slow down. Phishing works when we act rashly out of fear or excitement. Is the email threatening dire consequences if you don’t act in 5 minutes, or dangling a too-good-to-be-true reward? Huge red flag. Verify the sender: an email claiming to be from your IT provider but written from a random Gmail address – suspicious! Look for generic greetings (“Dear User,”) and awkward grammar – though today’s scammers use AI to polish their prose, so errors are fewer. When in doubt, don’t click. Hover over links (on a computer) to see the real URL. If an email says “open this invoice,” call the supposed sender via a known number to double-check. A two-minute call could save you a two-month headache.

Also, trust your team and training. If something looks fishy (pun intended), ask a colleague or your IT department. It’s better to double-check than to become the “employee who clicked that link.” Remember that no legitimate boss will demand you buy gift cards at 7 AM via email – that’s a classic scam scenario.

One more thing: phishing education matters. It’s not enough to install filters and call it a day. Employees should get regular, bite-sized security awareness training so they know how to spot the latest tricks. Unfortunately, many companies slack on this – only about 20% of firms run monthly training sessions on email threats, leaving the other 80% more prone to mistakes. Don’t be in that 80%. Foster a workplace where it’s encouraged to report suspicious emails and even do phishing drills (yes, fake phishing tests can be annoying, but they work). When your staff learns to think twice before clicking, you’ve effectively vaccinated your business against one of its biggest risks.

Finally, keep in mind that hackers cast these phishing lines widely because they work. By staying alert and fostering a culture where employees aren’t ashamed to report “weird emails,” you create a human shield against these scams. Think of it as turning your skepticism into your superpower. The next time an email urges you to “act now!” or claims you won a lottery you never entered, take a breath. Phishing? Schmishing! You’re too smart to take that bait.