Phishing Scams Aren’t Just a Work Problem Anymore

Key Takeaways

• Phishing attacks increased 12% in 2024 - 3.4 billion phishing emails are sent every day.
• Attackers now target personal email accounts, not just corporate ones - everyone is a target.
• Red flags include urgency, mismatched sender addresses, unexpected attachments, and requests for credentials.
• Hovering over links before clicking reveals the real destination URL.
• When in doubt, go directly to the website by typing the URL rather than clicking any link in an email.

Phishing used to be something only big companies worried about. Not anymore.

Today, phishing attacks are aimed at everyone—from remote workers and business owners to stay-at-home parents and retired grandparents. If you use email, you’re a target.

In 2024:

• Phishing attacks rose by 12%, with 3.4 billion phishing emails sent daily
• About 1.2% of all emails are harmful
• Archive files (.zip, .rar, .7z) were used in 37% of attacks
• 30% of attacks came through document files (Word, Excel, etc.)
• Microsoft is the #1 impersonated brand

To help protect our clients, we now block these dangerous archive files by default in our managed setups. Most people won’t ever need them—and the risk far outweighs the benefit.

What to Watch For – A Quick Phishing Checklist

Use this list to spot suspicious messages in your inbox:

• Unsolicited messages that ask for urgent action
• Emails pretending to be from someone in power or a government agency
• Messages asking for your passwords, banking info, or personal data
• Requests for money transfers, gift cards, or crypto payments
• Messages with poor grammar, strange wording, or generic greetings
• Attachments or links you weren’t expecting—even from people you know
• Unfamiliar email domains (like [email protected])

📌 If you weren’t expecting it—don’t click it.

What You Can Do Right Now

• Share this article with your family, friends, or coworkers
• Talk about phishing safety—even just 5 minutes of awareness can prevent a major disaster
• Subscribe to The Tech Coaches [blocked] for professional-grade protection at home and work

Want Peace of Mind for You or a Loved One?

Our affordable monthly plans include:

• Real-time protection from phishing and malicious files
• Setup help for your devices, at home or in the office
• Easy-to-understand support when things go wrong

You can even gift a plan to a family member.