Email scams

6Sense logo black cloud

Email scams are attempts to gain sensitive information or money by sending you deceptive and/or dishonest emails. Scammers will often impersonate ligitimate organsiations and/or individuals in order to gain your trust and provide them with sensative information or participate in fraudulent transactions. Unfortunately email scams have become increasingly numurous, harder to spot and much more convincing than those in the past.


Email scam types

Email Scams

Phishing: This is a general term for any scam that is attempting to obtain sensitive information from you. Information may include but is not limited to usernames, passwords, or credit card details. Phishing emails will often impersonate trusted entities (banks or government agencies etc) hoping to gain your trust and may also try to persuade you to click on a link or download an attachment.


Spear Phishing: A targeted form of phishing, these scams focus in on specific individuals or organizations. Scammers research their victims and will attempt to create personalised emails that appear real. They often include information we would expect to see (name and address etc).


Whaling: A type of spear phishing that targets high-profile individuals, such as CEOs or other senior executives. The scammers aim is to steal sensitive information or initiate high value fraudulent transactions.


Business Email Compromise: This scam involves scammers gaining access to or impersonating business email accounts to fool employees into making fraudulent payments or sharing confidential data.


Clone Phishing: Involves cloning an email that was previously sent by a trusted source. The email will be altered in some small way (eg: a malicious attachment or link).


Pharming: This scam redirects users to fraudulent websites that attempt to steal sensitive data such as login details or personal information.


Angler Phishing: Scammers use social media to fool users into providing login credentials or other sensitive information by impersonating legitimate organizations.


Malware Phishing: Are scams trying to get you to download and install malware (computer viruses or ransomware, etc.) onto your device. Types of malware include ransomware (A program that allows the scammer to lock up your device and then demand a ronsom for release)

How to spot an email scam


What to do if I have been scammed



Keeping yourself safe from email scams is an important part of communicating online and you should always be watchful with each and every email you receive.

Need a hand? Contact us and we'll get you sorted