Every minute, cybercriminals unleash waves of fake emails, texts, and calls designed to trick even the most cautious users. And it’s working—the FBI’s Annual Internet Crime Report reveals phishing as the most reported cybercrime, with over 193,000 complaints and more than $70 million in losses last year alone^[1].

A single click on a malicious link can expose your card numbers, disrupt your finances, and put your privacy at risk. However, if you understand the tricks that phishers rely on and adopt proactive strategies, you can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to phishing attacks.

This guide explains warning signs of phishing, practical phishing prevention steps, and advanced tools for protecting financial information online.

How Does a Phishing Scam Work?

In a typical phishing scenario, attackers impersonate trusted entities to manipulate you into revealing sensitive data, such as login credentials or credit card numbers.

You might receive a fraudulent email that appears to come from a legitimate organization (like a bank, retailer, or government agency), often complete with official logos, similar domain names, and professional formatting to establish credibility.

These messages can contain links to malicious websites designed to steal your information or harmful attachments that inject malware into your devices when downloaded. Once attackers obtain this information, they can access your accounts, make unauthorized card-not-present purchases, create synthetic identities, or even sell your information on the dark web.

Common Types of Phishing Scams

While all phishing attacks share the goal of stealing sensitive information, cybercriminals have developed specialized techniques to target victims through different channels. Below are the most common types of phishing you might encounter:

How To Identify Phishing Attempts

The most dangerous phishing attacks look legitimate—until you know exactly where to look. Here are the subtle giveaways that indicate a message might be a trap:

• Generic greetings (e.g., “Dear user/customer”) instead of mentioning your name
• Generic signatures and lack of contact information, where legitimate organizations would usually provide phone numbers or other contact details
• Sender domain addresses with slight misspellings (e.g., “paypaI.com” where the “l” has been replaced by a capital “i”) or additional characters (e.g., “support@amazon-info.com”)
• Poor grammar or spelling mistakes
• Mismatched sender name and email domain, such as a message claiming to be from your bank but sent from a free email service like Gmail.com
• Claims that create urgency or threaten negative consequences (e.g., "Your account will be closed in 24 hours!") unless immediate action is taken
• Requests for personal or financial information (such as passwords, SSNs, or credit card information) that legitimate companies would never ask for via email or text
• Fuzzy or low-quality logos and images that differ from the professional graphics used by legitimate organizations

How To Prevent Phishing Attacks

Here are five best practices to prevent phishing attacks:

1. Build smart online habits
2. Contact senders directly
3. Secure your accounts with multi-factor authentication
4. Install anti-malware tools
5. Use browser security extensions

Build Smart Online Habits

Human error is phishing’s greatest ally. While technical defenses help, your daily habits form the first line of defense. Scammers rely on rushed decisions, so adopting a skeptical mindset dramatically reduces vulnerability. Start by developing consistent security habits:

• Check URLs before clicking—Hover over links without clicking to reveal the actual destination. Legitimate URLs should match the official domain of the organization they claim to represent rather than display unfamiliar domains or slightly altered versions of known websites.
• Verify website security—When you land on a website after clicking a link, check that the URL begins with "https://" and displays a padlock icon, indicating a secure connection for data transmission.
• Avoid opening suspicious attachments—Avoid opening or downloading files from suspicious emails, especially those with executable (.exe) or compressed (.zip) formats that may contain malware.

Contact Senders Directly

When you receive any suspicious request—an unexpected invoice, a password reset email, or a message from a "colleague" asking for sensitive data—you should contact the sender directly using known or verified channels instead of replying directly to the message.

For example, if an email claims to be from your bank, find the customer service number/email from its official website, mobile app, or the back of your credit or debit card, and contact the bank to verify the request.

If the actual organization confirms it didn't send the message, report the phishing attempt to the organization and to relevant authorities like the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you’ve already provided sensitive information to the scammer, you should also file a report at IdentityTheft.gov.

Secure Your Accounts With Multi-Factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds a second verification step—like a fingerprint, authentication app code, or hardware key—to access your accounts. Even if a scammer tricks you into sharing your usernames or passwords, they can’t log in to your account without the secondary form of authentication.

Generally, high-risk accounts like banking, email, and payment platforms should always use MFA. Avoid relying on OTP codes sent via SMS, as SIM-swapping attacks can allow hackers to intercept them. Time-based codes using authenticator apps (Google Authenticator, Authy) or biometrics may be a more secure alternative.

Install Anti-Malware Tools

Modern anti-malware solutions offer various features designed to combat phishing threats.

One such critical protection from phishing attacks is real-time attachment scanning. When a shady email slips past your inbox, anti-malware tools intercept suspicious attachments (e.g., executable files, macro-enabled documents^[2]) before they can execute.

Anti-malware software analyzes file behavior, blocking ransomware, keyloggers, or spyware that might steal your data. Some tools even isolate suspicious files to observe their actions without risking your system.

Many anti-malware tools also offer real-time link verification, warning you of harmful links when you click them and preventing connections to fraudulent banking or payment sites. These specialized protections work alongside the tool’s traditional malware detection to create a comprehensive shield against data theft and payment fraud.

Use Browser Security Extensions

Browser security extensions offer additional protections that complement your anti-malware software. Since most phishing attacks happen through browsers, these tools provide real-time, site-specific protection that traditional security software may miss.

Extensions like Netcraft^[3], Bitdefender TrafficLight^[4], or Microsoft Defender Browser Protection^[5] maintain up-to-date lists of fraudulent sites, blocking access before you even land on them.

Similarly, script control tools such as NoScript^[6] and uBlock Origin^[7] block harmful JavaScript from executing in your browser, protecting against skimmers that steal payment information during online purchases. Hackers often exploit these scripts to trigger malicious redirects and fake login pop-ups.

Beyond Prevention—Limiting Financial Damage From Phishing Attacks

Even with strong phishing prevention measures—email filters, anti-malware tools, and browser security—no defense is 100% foolproof. A moment of distraction, a well-crafted scam, or a breach on a merchant’s website can still expose your payment details.

Once cybercriminals have your information, they can drain your account before you even realize you’ve been compromised. Traditional debit and credit cards offer little recourse beyond disputing fraudulent charges—a slow, reactive process that leaves you vulnerable in the meantime.

That’s where virtual cards come in. By hiding your actual payment card details during transactions, virtual cards create a critical layer of protection between phishers and your real financial information. If a virtual card number is compromised in a phishing attack, your underlying bank account or card details stay secure and unaffected.

If you’re ready to integrate this added protection into your financial routine, Privacy offers a specialized virtual card solution. While many banks provide virtual cards with basic functionality, Privacy gives you granular control, versatile card types, and real-time management—all designed to enhance security without complicating your transactions.

Privacy—Protect Your Financial Information From Online Threats

Privacy is a BBB-accredited and PCI-DSS-compliant virtual card provider trusted by over 250,000 users. After connecting your bank account or debit card with your Privacy account, you can seamlessly generate virtual cards with unique 16-digit card numbers, CVV security codes, and expiration dates.

To protect your data and account from unauthorized access, Privacy uses similar security measures as your bank, including:

• Military-grade encryption—Privacy employs advanced AES-256 encryption to protect all your data during transmission and storage, ensuring it remains secure even if intercepted.
• Two-factor authentication (2FA)—Privacy supports 2FA, requiring both your password and an additional security layer, such as a one-time code sent via email or SMS or a code generated by an authenticator app, when logging in.
• Secure server infrastructure—Your sensitive information is stored in isolated and firewalled facilities with regular third-party security testing.
• Comprehensive fraud protection—If you notice suspicious charges on your virtual cards, you can dispute transactions, and Privacy will investigate the issue and file a chargeback on your behalf if there are grounds for it.

Versatile Card Types for Every User

Privacy offers four types of virtual cards:

1. Single-Use Card—Designed for one-off transactions and purchases on unfamiliar websites, this card closes shortly after first use, rendering it useless to anyone who might try to steal it.
2. Merchant-Locked Card—This card "ties" to the first vendor you use it with. If phishers steal your card details, they won’t be able to use them anywhere else. Merchant-Locked Cards are ideal for paying for subscription services and recurring bills.
3. Category-Locked Card—Instead of locking to one vendor, this card “ties” to a merchant category, such as education, retail, or groceries. Attempts to use this card in any other category are blocked automatically.
4. Everywhere Card—Built for flexibility, this card can be used across multiple merchants and is compatible with mobile wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. It helps extend the protections of virtual cards to in-store purchases.

You can set a spending limit on any Privacy Card, and Privacy will decline charges exceeding this amount. This feature protects you from hidden fees and sudden price hikes. And if you suspect your virtual card might’ve been compromised, you can instantly pause or close it without affecting your funding source.

Privacy Convenience Features

Beyond robust security and card controls, Privacy provides you with several additional features designed to make your online shopping experience more convenient:

How To Get Started With Privacy

If you're a U.S. resident over 18 with a bank account or debit card at a U.S. bank or credit union, you can start using secure virtual cards for your online purchases in four simple steps:

1. Create your Privacy account
2. Verify your required Know-Your-Customer (KYC details)
3. Connect a funding source (your bank account or debit card)
4. Request and generate your first Privacy Card

Privacy offers four monthly plans as described in the following table:

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You can use Privacy Virtual Cards like your regular credit or debit card at most vendors that accept U.S. Visa or Mastercard payments.

References

^[1] Internet Crime Complaint Center. https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2024_IC3Report.pdf, sourced May 12, 2025

^[2] National Cyber Security Center. https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/macro-security-for-microsoft-office, sourced May 12, 2025

^[3] Netcraft. https://www.netcraft.com/resources/apps-and-extensions/browser-extension, sourced May 12, 2025

^[4] Bitdefender. https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/consumer/trafficlight, sourced May 12, 2025

^[5] Microsoft. https://browserprotection.microsoft.com/learn.html, sourced May 12, 2025

^[6] NoScript. https://noscript.net/, sourced May 12, 2025

^[7] uBlock Origin. https://ublockorigin.com/, sourced May 12, 2025

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