--- title: The five tells of a phishing email | ComDirect description: The human element shows up in most breaches, and phishing is how a large share of them start. These five checks take ten seconds. image: https://learn.comdirectusa.com/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/photo-1550751827-4bd374c3f58b.jpg --- [Skip to main content](https://learn.comdirectusa.com/phishing-tells#kc-main) [![ComDirect](https://comdirectusa.com/assets/comdirect-white.png)](https://comdirectusa.com) [Solutions](https://comdirectusa.com/#solutions) [Industries](https://comdirectusa.com/#industries) [Why ComDirect](https://comdirectusa.com/why.html) [Knowledge Center](https://learn.comdirectusa.com) [Request an assessment](https://comdirectusa.com/#contact) [Home](https://comdirectusa.com)/[Knowledge Center](https://learn.comdirectusa.com) /Checklist Checklist · Cybersecurity # The five tells of a phishing email Tell 1: The sender address does not match the name The display name says your bank or your boss; the actual address is a jumble or a lookalike domain (micros0ft-support.com). On a phone, tap the name to reveal the real address before you trust anything else about the message. August 4, 2026 ·ComDirect ·Reading time ![An abstract blue circuit board representing cybersecurity and data protection](https://learn.comdirectusa.com/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/photo-1550751827-4bd374c3f58b.jpg) ## Tell 1: The sender address does not match the name The display name says your bank or your boss; the actual address is a jumble or a lookalike domain (micros0ft-support.com). On a phone, tap the name to reveal the real address before you trust anything else about the message. ## Tell 2: Manufactured urgency Your account will be closed today. The invoice is overdue. The gift cards are needed in an hour. Urgency is the attacker's tool for turning off your judgment. Real organizations almost never require action within minutes. ## Tell 3: The link does not go where it says Hover over any link (or long-press on a phone) and read the real destination. If the text says your bank but the destination is an unrelated domain, you have your answer. When in doubt, do not click; type the site address yourself. ## Tell 4: An unexpected attachment Invoices you were not expecting, voicemail attachments, shipping labels for packages you did not order. Attachments are how malware arrives. Verify with the sender through a different channel before opening anything unexpected. ## Tell 5: A request that bypasses normal process Wire transfers outside the approval process, payroll changes by email, a vendor suddenly announcing new bank details. Any money-moving request that arrives only by email deserves a phone call to a number you already had, not one from the email. ## Make it stick Rules only help if everyone applies them every time. Continuous phishing awareness training, with short lessons and simulated tests, turns these checks into habit. ComDirect deploys training programs your team will actually complete, typically for a few dollars per user per month. > **Key takeaways** > > - Check the real sender address, not the display name. > - Urgency is the weapon. Slow down when a message speeds you up. > - Verify links before clicking and attachments before opening. > - Money never moves on email alone. Call a number you already had. ## Sources Where the facts and figures in this piece come from. 1. Verizon, *2026 Data Breach Investigations Report*, 19th annual edition, covering more than 22,000 confirmed breaches. [Verizon 2026 Data Breach Investigations Report.](https://www.verizon.com/business/resources/reports/dbir/) ## Not sure where your technology stands? We will walk your environment, read your bills and contracts, and tell you what we would change. No cost, no obligation. 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