News and Insights
Hook, line and sinker: how to avoid getting phished
March 19, 2026
In this blog, you will learn:
- How to spot the anatomy of a hook: learn the dead giveaways of a phishing attempt and how to resist the artificial sense of urgency hackers create
- The true cost of a single click: why a compromised Netflix or PayPal login is often just a ‘skeleton key’ that can lead to long-term identity theft and credit ruin
- How to simplify security: how a good comms strategy can empower customers to take charge of their own digital safety.
Email security is a constant worry for organisations and everyday users alike. Cybercrime rates are breaking records with their frequency, and phishing remains the most prevalent type of breach by far, with 85% of businesses that experienced a cyberattack (2024-25) reporting these scams. Suspicious emails used to be easy to identify, but with technology advances and the proliferation of AI tools, hackers can now create shockingly convincing emails that even digitally savvy users fall for.
Phishing is more than just a nuisance. It can lead to employees inadvertently granting access to company systems or becoming victims of fraud or even digital identity theft themselves. Cybersecurity is an always-on race, and effective, easy-to-understand communication is the first line of defence when it comes to the human factor that phishing emails seek to exploit. But how can we spot the bait in our inbox before we bite?
Anatomy of the hook: spotting the scam
Phishing is designed to tap into a sense of urgency to get the user to act on the prompt, be that clicking on a link, dialling a number, or sharing some information. Familiar-looking logos with widely used services like Amazon, Netflix, or PayPal appear in the email header to instantly generate a false sense of security. However, something doesn’t look right. They’re using a different font from usual, or the wording is clunky. At the same time, it looks legit enough, like it is coming from the company’s support team.
This is where the urgency is supposed to do the heavy lifting to overcome the quiet but niggly alarms going off in the user’s head. “Prevent your account from being suspended! Act now!” These commands are designed to short-circuit logical thinking because the second the user takes a closer look at the “From” field, the gig is up: it shows an email address that’s all letters and numbers, the tell-tale sign of a burner email instead of a legitimate alias.
The catch: when phishing turns into identity theft
While a breach may start with getting access to, for example, a Netflix account, hackers are after more than just a movie to watch. The Netflix login is just a skeleton key. In reality, they want the personal data behind the login details: payment information, home addresses, full legal names and more.
Once accessed, this stolen information enables criminals to become the digital ‘you’ and open credit lines, redirect tax refunds, or scam your contacts. The actual ‘hit’ might happen weeks or even months later. The fallout isn’t measured in days; it’s measured in years of credit repair, legal headaches and a fundamental loss of digital confidence.
Cutting the line: a 3-step defence
Good cybersecurity is not a one-off tick-box exercise. It’s habitual background noise, part of the routine. However, people often find it overwhelming and cumbersome to set up, even if they are aware of the dangers of navigating online spaces.
The role of the communications strategy is to make the complex feel manageable, so good habits or products are not written off as “more trouble than they are worth.” Keeping digital identity secure should not be complicated. Here is a simple three-step defence to cut the line of the phishing attempt:
- Hover before you click: before committing to a click, verify the destination. On a desktop, users can hover their mouse over any link to see the actual URL in the bottom corner of the browser. On a mobile, a ‘long-press’ on a link brings up a preview of the address. If the URL looks like a jumble of nonsense, steer clear
- Go to the source instead: this is the golden rule of digital hygiene. If an email claims there is a problem with an account, never use the link provided in the message. Close the email, go through the browser or the official app instead, and log in manually. If there truly is an issue, there will be a notification waiting
- Find the shield that works for you: multi-factor authentication (MFA) is one of the most effective ways to stop a phisher in their tracks. Whether it’s an authenticator app, a physical security key, a passkey, or a simple SMS code, users need to find the method that fits their lifestyle. Some might think antivirus software is a given, but users should look to invest in a robust package that provides deeper protection against hackers, from password protection to safeguarding against deepfake video content. Ultimately, the best security is the one that gets used, so choosing the one that doesn’t make life harder is key to success.
Technology provides the fence (the firewalls, the encrypted tunnels and the spam filters), but healthy scepticism is the lock on the gate. Hackers prey on our busiest moments and our laziest habits, like using the same password for our bank as we do for the local takeaway app.
There are a myriad of solutions on the market, offering a wide range of products that promise to protect customers from the perils of the digital world. As with any other type of fraud, the shame of a victim who once fell for a scam may linger longer than the headache of righting the wrong.
The brands that make cybersecurity look easy and natural, who present their products with clarity and empathy, will be the ones who succeed. From the very first marketing touchpoint to the post-sale customer support, the message should be one of empowerment, not fear.
Ready to make cybersecurity accessible to your customers? Contact the FINN Partners London team to discuss how you can revamp your communication strategy.
FAQs
How can brands educate customers on cybersecurity without scaring them away?
The trick is to pivot from fear-mongering to empowerment. While the impact of a cyber breach can be devastating, and educating people on the dangers is important, audiences become desensitised quickly. Instead of focusing solely on the doom and gloom of online dangers, the most successful brands position their tools as a digital superpower. Clear, jargon-free language paired with empathy can shift perception from just another notification to a trusted companion that keeps daily life running smoothly.
What’s the secret to becoming the “go-to” cybersecurity solution for the everyday user?
In a crowded market, the winner is usually the one who makes security simple. Focusing communications around how a tool removes the faff is the key to success. Customers don’t want to be IT experts, they want a ‘set and forget’ shield.
How can brands build trust in the age of cyberattacks?
Technology moves quickly, but human trust moves slowly. PR is all about building a reputation that stands the test of time, even in a quickly evolving industry like cybersecurity, and translating complex threats (like AI-generated deepfakes) into simple, actionable advice is the foundation. When a brand is the first to explain a new scam in a way that actually makes sense to a non-techy person, they instantly claim the expert spot in the consumer’s mind.
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