What is a common sign of a phishing attempt?

A common sign of a phishing attempt often involves generic greetings or mistakes in the text, such as misspellings. Phishing emails typically aim to deceive the recipient into providing sensitive information or clicking on unsafe links, and attackers often do not personalize their messages. Unlike legitimate communications, which usually address the recipient by name or contain accurate language and grammar, phishing attempts may feature a lack of specifics and often have noticeable errors.

In contrast, personalized greetings and clear calls to action are characteristics of legitimate communications aiming to engage the recipient. Informative content with reputable sources is another hallmark of genuine messages, making it less likely to be associated with phishing attempts. Therefore, recognizing generic greetings and misspellings can help individuals identify potential phishing emails and avoid falling victim to such attacks.