And the award for most common phishing scam goes to…

Phishing Emails: How to Spot Them and Protect Your Business

If there’s one thing that’s absolutely certain when it comes to protecting your business in today’s digital-first world, it’s this: you must stay vigilant against phishing emails.

🕵️ What Exactly Is a Phishing Email?

Phishing emails are the cybercriminal’s favourite trick — think of them as wolves in sheep’s clothing. They often appear to come from trusted sources — like banks, colleagues, Microsoft, or delivery companies — but they’re designed to trick recipients into revealing sensitive information, clicking malicious links, or downloading harmful attachments.

Whether it's fake invoices, password expiry alerts, or even fraudulent job applications, phishing emails are evolving. And thanks to AI tools, they’re getting harder to spot than ever before.

📊 The Most Common Phishing Email Themes (Based on Recent Data)

To stay ahead of these threats, let’s break down the phishing trends we saw over the last year. Understanding what types of phishing scams are most common can help you train your team and build better defences.

🔴 Major Phishing Categories – Over 50% of Attacks

• Finance-related phishing emails were by far the most popular method, making up a staggering 54% of phishing attempts. These often include fake invoices, refund requests, or account warnings, all designed to lure you into entering financial details on fraudulent websites.
• Urgent notification emails took up another 35%, usually warning you that your password is about to expire, or your account has been locked. These are designed to trigger panic and cloud judgment.

🟠 Moderate Threats – Still Dangerous

• Document-based phishing scams accounted for 38% of attacks. These typically claim to include important files such as “Updated Contract” or “Delivery Invoice” but instead contain malware or links to phishing sites.
• Voicemail-themed phishing emails made up 25% and often imitate missed call alerts with malicious links pretending to be audio recordings.

🟡 Minor But Risky – Low Volume, High Threat

Even though they’re less frequent, tax-related, benefit-themed, job application, and property scam emails can still do serious damage. These phishing messages are often hyper-targeted, aiming to catch businesses off guard during key operational periods, such as hiring or tax season.

🧠 Why Phishing Emails Are So Dangerous for Businesses

Phishing is no longer just an individual issue — it’s a business-wide risk. Here’s why:

• Financial losses: From fraudulent payments to lost revenue due to downtime
• Data breaches: Phishing can open the door to ransomware or malware that compromises your entire network
• Reputation damage: If customer data is stolen, trust takes a hit — and reputations are difficult to rebuild
• Legal and compliance risks: Especially in industries like finance, law, and healthcare

Even just one click on the wrong link could bring your entire IT infrastructure to a standstill.

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✅ How to Protect Your Business from Phishing Emails

Defending your company doesn’t require complex systems — but it does require smart habits, modern tools, and proper planning:

1. Regular Phishing Awareness Training
   Equip your team with the knowledge to identify and report suspicious emails. Consider phishing simulation tests to measure effectiveness.
2. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
   Even if a password is compromised, MFA adds an additional layer of security.
3. Invest in Advanced Email Security Tools
   Microsoft Defender for Office 365 and similar solutions can detect and block phishing emails in real time.
4. Use a Password Manager
   Avoid password reuse and use unique, complex passwords stored in a secure password vault.
5. Deploy Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
   Tools like Microsoft Intune or SentinelOne monitor device activity and alert you to suspicious behaviour.
6. Regular Backups
   Ensure that in the event of a successful attack, your data can be restored quickly.

👩‍💻 Educate. Secure. Monitor.

Ultimately, education is your first line of defence. Your staff are both your greatest asset and your biggest vulnerability — so keeping them informed and alert is critical.

Combine awareness with the right technology stack and ongoing IT support, and your business can be confident that it’s protected against the ever-evolving world of phishing attacks.

🔒 Need Help with Phishing Protection and Cyber Security?

At Sonar IT, we specialise in helping businesses across London and Essex strengthen their cyber security posture - from phishing training and Microsoft 365 hardening to real-time threat monitoring and IT support.

✅ Let’s make sure your business is bulletproof.

📞 Call us on 0203 011 0805 or
📧 Email ontheradar@sonarit.co.uk to find out more.

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