Phishing is the most widespread cyber threat. In 2024, it accounted for 39% of all reports on Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr (source: activity report, March 2025). This guide shows you, with concrete examples, how to recognise fake emails before falling into the trap.
When you receive an email that looks exactly like a message from your bank, the NHS or HMRC, it is natural to want to click. Scammers invest heavily in making their messages convincing. The good news: there are reliable clues to spot them, and once you know them, fake emails become easy to identify.
How phishing works
- The scammer sends an email imitating a trusted organisation — complete with logo, colours and style
- The message creates urgency or opportunity — “Your account will be blocked”, “A refund awaits”
- You click the link — it leads to a fake site reproducing the official one
- You enter your information — credentials, passwords, bank details are all captured
Example 1: Fake bank email
Subject: “Security alert: unusual activity on your account”
The email displays your bank’s logo and mentions suspicious activity. It asks you to “verify your identity” via a “secure” link.
Clues that reveal the scam:
- The sender’s email address does not end with the bank’s official domain
- Artificial urgency: “You have 24 hours to secure your account”
- The link does not lead to the official website (hover without clicking to check)
- It asks for sensitive information your bank would never request by email
What your bank actually does: never emails asking for your password, never demands urgent action within 24 hours, communicates security alerts through their official app.
Example 2: Fake health service email
Subject: “Health Service: refund of 287.40 pending”
Displays the health service logo, mentions a pending refund. Asks you to “update your bank details” via a link.
Clues: wrong sender domain, requests bank details by email (health services already have your details), precise amount to seem credible.
Example 3: Fake tax email
Subject: “HMRC: your tax refund is available”
Official-looking design, claims a refund will be paid within 5 working days if you confirm your bank details.
Clues: tax authorities use their official domain only, refunds are paid automatically without confirmation needed, the link goes to a non-official URL.
Example 4: Fake delivery email
Subject: “Your parcel is waiting — action required”
A delivery company logo, says a parcel could not be delivered, asks you to pay a small redelivery fee (1-3 pounds/euros).
Clues: delivery companies do not ask for payment by email, the tracking number is unverifiable on the real site, the small amount is deliberate — they want your full card details.
Example 5: Fake Netflix, Amazon or PayPal email
Subject: “Your Netflix subscription will be suspended”
Claims your payment method has expired and you must update your details.
Clues: wrong sender domain, generic greeting (“Dear customer” instead of your name), link points to an imitation URL.
The 5-point method for analysing suspicious emails
Point 1: The sender’s address
Do not look at the displayed name; check the technical email address.
Point 2: The link in the email
Do not click. Hover over the link to see the destination address (bottom of screen or tooltip). On a phone, long-press the link without releasing.
Point 3: The tone
Phishing almost always uses urgency, fear, or the lure of money.
Point 4: Unusual requests
No official organisation will ever email asking for your password, card number, PIN or to download software.
Point 5: Text quality
While AI-generated phishing is increasingly flawless, some still show formatting anomalies, blurry images, or missing contact details in the footer.
What to do with a suspicious email
If you have not clicked
- Do not click anything
- Report as phishing/spam in your email client
- Delete or move to spam
- Warn relatives who might receive the same email
If you clicked but entered nothing
Low risk. Close the page. Clear browser cache and run antivirus.
If you entered credentials or bank details
- Change password immediately on the real site
- Call your bank if bank details were entered
- File a police report
- Report to your national cybercrime platform
Configuring your email for better filtering
- Enable anti-spam filters (most email services have them)
- Mark phishing emails as spam (helps the filter learn)
- Gmail: three dots > “Report phishing”
- Outlook: “Junk” > “Phishing”
Why phishing evolves and remains dangerous
According to security agencies, phishing campaigns are increasingly sophisticated thanks to generative AI (source: ANSSI, February 2025). AI-generated emails are spelling-perfect, personalised with your name, and sent from addresses closely imitating official domains.
That is why checking the sender’s address and link remains the most reliable reflex, much more than the visual quality of the message.
Editorial note
Sources consulted: Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr 2024 report, ANSSI threat panorama February 2025, DGCCRF 2024, signal-spam.fr.
Limitations: Examples are based on real reports but exact wording changes constantly. We could not reproduce screenshots of fake emails; descriptions are based on public reports.
Verification date: 26 March 2026
Conflicts of interest: none
Questions fréquentes
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Phishing is a scam technique via email or text. The scammer impersonates a trusted organisation (bank, NHS, HMRC) and sends a message imitating the official style to get you to click a link and enter your personal or bank details.
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Look at the sender's email address (not the displayed name, but the technical address). An official email from your bank comes from the bank's real domain. When in doubt, call your bank using the number on the back of your card.
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Change your password immediately on the real website. If you entered bank details, call your bank to cancel your card. Report the email to your national fraud service and to your email provider as phishing.
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Partially. Modern antivirus programs include anti-phishing filters that block some fraudulent sites. But scammers create new fake sites constantly, so your antivirus cannot know them all. Your vigilance remains the best protection.
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Scammers now use AI tools to write emails without spelling mistakes and faithfully reproduce the style of official organisations. That is why checking the sender's address rather than the visual quality of the message is essential.