Beware! Phishers' New Trick: Image-Based Attacks

Beware of Image-Based Phishing: How Cybercriminals Use Pictures to Trick You

You’ve probably heard the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

Unfortunately, cybercriminals have caught on...and they’re using images in phishing scams to deceive victims like never before. Welcome to the sneaky world of image-based phishing.

This isn’t your usual dodgy email with spelling errors and sketchy links. These scams are slick, sneaky, and designed to fly under your radar. If you're a business owner, team manager, or just someone who uses email daily (so… everyone), it’s time to take this seriously.

🎯 Why Are Image-Based Phishing Attacks Dangerous?

Most people are now trained to spot a sketchy link or avoid clicking unknown attachments. That’s the good news.

The bad news? Cybercriminals are getting smarter. Instead of relying on traditional tricks, they’re now embedding malicious links into images. These images often look completely harmless — maybe it’s a promotional banner, a company flyer, or even a cute animal meme. But behind the image is a link to a fake website, designed to steal sensitive data like login details, bank credentials, or business information.

Imagine this: You receive an email that looks like it’s from Amazon, with a banner saying you’ve won a voucher. You click the banner, thinking it’s legit. Next thing you know, you’re on a convincing clone of Amazon’s website, entering your login details — and just like that, your account’s compromised.

It’s sneaky. It’s effective. And it’s happening more often.

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🧠 But What Is Image-Based Phishing, Exactly?

In simple terms, image-based phishing is when scammers use pictures instead of plain text or links to trick people into clicking. These images:

• Look like buttons or banners
• Contain no visible text (so they bypass spam filters)
• Hide dangerous links underneath
• Lead to fake sites or trigger malware downloads

Because the image looks safe - and spam filters often can’t “read” it the same way they scan text, the scam can slip through security systems unnoticed.

That makes image-based phishing a growing problem for individuals and businesses alike.

🔎 How to Spot Image-Based Phishing Attacks

Don’t worry...even though these scams are clever, there are still telltale signs you can watch out for. Here’s how to stay alert:

• Unexpected emails: Did you receive an email from a company you don’t recognise? Or even from a known brand, but you weren’t expecting it? It’s the email equivalent of accepting sweets from strangers.
• Too good to be true offers: “You’ve won £1,000!” or “Claim your free iPhone!” If it sounds too good to be true, it almost always is.
• Spelling and grammar errors: Image-based scams often combine dodgy visuals with poorly written messages.
• Strange sender addresses: Always check the email address. "noreply@amaz0n-prizez.win" is probably not real Amazon.
• Mismatched branding: If logos look stretched, colours are off, or it just feels ‘off-brand’, trust your gut.
• Clickable images with no explanation: If the entire email appears as one image, and clicking anywhere redirects you — red flag.

🛡️ How to Protect Your Business from Image-Based Phishing

These scams don’t just target individuals, they’re a serious cybersecurity threat to businesses, especially small and medium-sized companies that don’t have robust security teams in place.

Here’s how to keep your business safe:

✅ 1. Educate Your Employees

Regular training on email security and the latest phishing tactics can drastically reduce the risk of someone falling for a scam. Make it part of onboarding and ongoing training. A simple 10-minute session could save your company from a massive headache.

✅ 2. Use Advanced Email Filtering

Basic spam filters aren’t always enough. Consider using a business-grade email security solution that can scan images, attachments, and links more effectively.

✅ 3. Keep Software and Systems Updated

Always keep operating systems, browsers, email clients, and antivirus software up to date. Patches often contain fixes for vulnerabilities that hackers love to exploit.

✅ 4. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Even if credentials are stolen, MFA provides a second layer of security. Whether it’s a text message code, an app approval, or a fingerprint scan — it could stop a scam in its tracks.

✅ 5. Use Strong, Unique Passwords

We say it all the time because it’s that important. Don’t reuse passwords. Use a password manager to keep things secure and avoid human error.

✅ 6. Backup Your Data Regularly

If the worst does happen - whether it’s a phishing scam, ransomware, or a dodgy click — regular backups mean you’re not starting from scratch. Data recovery is one of the most overlooked safety nets in business IT.

🧩 How Managed IT Services Can Help

If all this feels like a lot to remember (or you're already worried your team won't spot the difference between a real email and a fake one), you're not alone.

Managed IT services can help you:

• Set up enterprise-grade email protection
• Train your staff with real-world phishing simulations
• Manage backups, software updates, and cyber policies
• Detect and respond to threats early

Basically, they give you peace of mind and make security someone else’s problem — which is nice.

👉 Click here to learn more about our IT support for phishing prevention

⚠️ Real-World Examples of Image-Based Phishing

Here are a few tactics we've seen recently:

• QR code scams: The email looks like a secure bank notice, but clicking the QR code takes users to a fake login page.
• Fake invoice PDFs: A "PDF" is actually an image that links to malware.
• Retail vouchers: An image banner offers you 20% off — it’s actually a data theft site.

These scams aren’t just clever — they’re designed to fool even tech-savvy users. Which is why it's so important to think before you click.

🚨 Stay Vigilant and Don’t Let Scammers Win

Cybercriminals are constantly evolving their tactics — and image-based phishing is one of the sneakier tricks in the book. But you’ve got something they don’t: awareness.

Remember: not every cute cat picture is as innocent as it seems.

Stay alert. Train your team. And if in doubt, don’t click. Forward anything suspicious to your IT team or managed service provider.

Your business’s cybersecurity is only as strong as your weakest link — and sometimes, that weak link is a dodgy image in an inbox.

🧰 Need Help Stopping Phishing Before It Starts?

We're here to help you stay one step ahead of scammers. Whether it’s email filtering, security audits, or simply some no-nonsense advice, we’ve got your back.

👉 Get in touch with our friendly IT team today

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