Phishing is one of the most common ways cybercriminals attack, and chances are you've encountered it before. From suspicious emails to urgent texts, these scams are responsible for many data breaches worldwide.
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The 2025 Verizon Data Breach Investigations report revealed that phishing was behind approximately 15% of all data breaches. Cybercriminals use fake emails, messages, or websites to trick people into handing over confidential data. They use links that appear legitimate but lead to malicious destinations.

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In recent years, phishing attacks have evolved. They now leverage sophisticated technology like Artificial Intelligence to evade detection, create compelling and personalised phishing emails, and eliminate common red flags like spelling and grammatical errors. These criminals usually strike when you are busy, distracted, or rushing, banking on the message's urgency to get a quick response.

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In this blog post, we'll show you how to avoid sophisticated phishing scams and protect yourself.

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What is phishing?

Phishing is a form of social engineering in which attackers impersonate a trusted entity to deceive people into revealing sensitive information, such as login credentials or financial data. At its core, phishing relies on tricking people into taking an action they shouldn't. 

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These attacks usually arrive as emails, text messages (known as smishing), or phone calls (vishing) designed to look and sound incredibly convincing. The goal is to create a sense of urgency, fear, or curiosity that prompts you to click a malicious link, download an infected attachment, or give away your information directly.

A typical phishing attack begins with a carefully crafted message designed to mimic a legitimate sender, often replicating official branding, logos, and even faking email addresses.

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Types of phishing

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1. Email Phishing‍

These broad, non-targeted attacks use deceptive emails to steal credentials or deliver malware. It remains the most common form of phishing.

2. Spear Phishing‍

A highly targeted attack on a specific person. Scammers use personal information, often found on social media, to appear legitimate and gain your trust.

2. Whaling‍

This is a form of spear phishing that specifically targets high-profile individuals like CEOs and other executives to obtain high-value information.

3. Smishing (SMS phishing)‍

Phishing attempts delivered via text messages, often containing malicious links or urgent requests.

4. Vishing (Voice phishing)‍

This is phishing over the phone. Criminals use voice calls or recorded messages to trick people into revealing sensitive information, often faking their caller ID to build trust.

5. Quishing (QR code phishing)

‍Malicious QR codes in emails or on physical documents that redirect you to phishing websites when scanned.

6. Business email compromise (BEC)

‍Instead of spoofing, attackers take over real accounts and send internal-looking emails that appear entirely legitimate. The 2024 FBI Internet Crime Report revealed that the cumulative global losses attributed to business email compromise (BEC) scams from 2013 to 2023 exceeded $55 billion, underscoring its sustained and significant impact as a major international crime.

7. Deepfake scams

‍Cybercriminals use artificial intelligence to create hyper-realistic videos or audio recordings that mimic real people, often CEOs, executives, or trusted individuals.

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How to spot a phishing attack

1. Suspicious sender's Address

‍Look for email addresses that imitate legitimate businesses and organisations but contain subtle misspellings or extra characters (e.g., K0rapay.com instead of Korapay.com).

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2. Generic greetings and lack of contact information

‍Legitimate organisations typically use personalised greetings. Generic salutations like "Dear User" are often red flags. Also, a lack of specific contact information in the sender's signature can indicate a fraudulent message. 

3. Spoofed or suspicious hyperlinks: Always hover your cursor over a link before you click to see its true destination. If the URL that pops up doesn't match the link in the email text, it's likely a scam. Be wary of shortened URLs from sources you don't trust.

4. An urgent or threatening tone

‍Phishing messages often create a false sense of urgency or fear. They say, "Your account will be locked unless you act now." Similarly, offers that seem too good to be true should make you suspicious.

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5. Requests for personal or financial Information

‍This is a major red flag. Legitimate businesses, including Kora, will never ask you to provide sensitive details like your password, PIN, or full card number via email. Always verify such requests through a separate, official channel.

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6. Unexpected communications or attachments‍

Be highly suspicious of unexpected emails or attachments. Never open a file from an unknown sender, as it could contain malware. 

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How to protect yourself against phishing attacks

While phishing threats are constantly evolving, proactive measures can significantly reduce your vulnerability

1. Think before you click, scan, and share

Phishing thrives on urgency. If you receive an unexpected or aggressive message, don’t respond immediately. Don't click on links, download attachments, or scan QR codes until you’ve verified the message through a separate, secure channel—like calling a number you know is correct or typing the website URL directly into your browser.

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2. Use strong and unique passwords

Using strong passwords is another crucial way of protecting yourself. The days of “password123” should be long gone. Your accounts should have unique, complex passwords that aren’t reused elsewhere. Managing dozens of passwords can be a hassle, and the simplest way to avoid this risk is by using a password manager.

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3. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA)

Enable MFA wherever possible, especially for your emails, banking, and critical online services. This adds an extra layer of security, making it much harder for attackers to gain access even if they have your password. However, not all alternative methods of authentication offer the same protection. SMS-based codes can be intercepted through SIM swap attacks or social engineering. A better option is to use an authentication app such as Google Authenticator, Duo, or Microsoft Authenticator, which generates one-time passcodes on your phone.

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4 . Keep devices and software updated 

Cybercriminals frequently exploit known vulnerabilities in outdated operating systems, browsers, and plugins. To stay protected, enable automatic updates whenever possible and do not ignore system prompts asking you to install patches. Updates often include crucial security patches that fix known vulnerabilities.

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5. Use antivirus and anti-malware software 

Install robust security software on all your devices (computers, smartphones, tablets). These tools detect, block, and remove threats before they can damage your system or compromise sensitive data. Security software protects against known threats like trojans, spyware, ransomware, and malicious downloads.

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6. Backup your data 

Backing up your files is a precaution and a recovery strategy. Cyberattacks like ransomware can lock you out of your data and demand payment to regain access. Having a secure backup on an external hard drive or a cloud service means you can restore your information without paying a ransom. This can help you recover quickly in case of a ransomware attack or data loss.

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Conclusion

Phishing is no longer a game of spotting spelling errors. Today's attacks are sophisticated messages designed to feel familiar and urgent, often mimicking platforms you trust. The single most important habit is to pause. If a message feels off, take a moment to verify it through another channel.