Phishing used to be easy to catch: bad grammar, obvious typos, a sender address that looked nothing like the real company. Not anymore. AI tools have made scam emails more polished and personalized than ever, which is why ICSI, an IT firm serving businesses across Maryland and an IT company in Tampa, is using Cybersecurity Awareness Month to walk through what to watch for today.
Check the sender address closely, not just the display name
A message might show “Microsoft Support” as the name, but the actual email address often reveals a mismatched or unfamiliar domain. Always check what’s behind the name.
Be wary of urgency
Phrases like “your account will be suspended,” “immediate action required,” or “final notice” are designed to make you act before you think. Legitimate companies rarely demand instant action over email.
Hover before you click
On desktop, hovering over a link (without clicking) shows the actual destination URL. If it doesn’t match the company it claims to be from, don’t click it.
Watch for unexpected attachments
Unsolicited invoices, shipping notices, or “shared documents” are common phishing vehicles, especially when they arrive from someone you weren’t expecting to hear from. This is a particularly common tactic against healthcare and billing staff, which is why our IT solutions for healthcare organizations include targeted phishing awareness training.
Trust your instincts then verify independently
If an email claims to be from your bank, your IT provider, or a colleague and something feels off, contact them directly through a known phone number or website rather than replying to the email itself.
Report it, don’t just delete it
Reporting suspicious emails helps your IT team spot patterns and protect the rest of your organization, deleting alone only protects you.
Employees are a business’s first line of defense against phishing. Whether you need IT services in Florida or support closer to our Maryland home base, ICSI offers ongoing security awareness training as part of our managed IT services, reach out to learn more this Cybersecurity Awareness Month.