What Is Phishing? A Beginner's Guide

Phishing is a type of online scam where someone pretends to be a trusted person, company, bank, school, or service. Their goal is usually to make you reveal a password, OTP, bank detail, or other private information.

A phishing message may arrive by email, SMS, WhatsApp, social media, or a fake website. It often creates fear or urgency, such as saying that your account will be blocked unless you act immediately.

Check the sender address carefully. A message may look like it came from a real company, but the email address or website domain can contain small spelling changes.

Be careful with messages that demand urgent action, request passwords or OTPs, promise unexpected rewards, or contain suspicious links and attachments.

Do not open unknown attachments or enter passwords after clicking a message link. Instead, open the official app or type the official website address yourself.

Use a password manager and enable two-factor authentication. If you think you entered details on a fake site, change your password immediately and contact the real service provider.