don’t get hooked: types of phishing scams and how to prevent them

Picture this: you’re starting your day with a cup of tea when an email from a trusted supplier lands in your inbox. It looks genuine. The branding is familiar and the message sounds professional. But hidden inside is a phishing scam, and this October, during Cyber Security Awareness Month, we want you to be ready for it.

AI is helping criminals create polished, personalised messages that are harder than ever to spot, and phishing scams now come in many forms, from email and text messages to phone calls. Time is not on your side. In this guide, we explain the most common types of phishing scams, how to spot them and how to prevent them, so decision-makers can protect their staff, data and finances before an attack happens, not after.

the most common phishing myth

It’s easy to assume phishing scams are simple to spot because they contain poor grammar, suspicious links or obvious requests for sensitive information.

That is no longer true.

Criminals now use AI to create convincing messages that sound like they came from colleagues, suppliers, banks and other trusted sources. Some even use AI-generated voices or videos to impersonate a familiar person.

Even careful, well-trained staff can be tricked by messages that sound and look real. Nobody is immune, and the risk grows the longer your business waits to act.

🎣 common types of phishing scams

Phishing can happen through email, text messages, phone calls, QR codes and workplace communication platforms. Knowing the most common tactics can help your team spot trouble early, before it costs you.

email phishing

Attackers send emails that appear to come from a trusted company, supplier or financial institution. These messages may contain malicious links or attachments designed to steal information, install malware or gain access to business accounts.

AI-powered phishing

Criminals can create convincing messages based on information found online. They may copy someone’s writing style, mention a real business relationship or use details about a staff member’s role to make a request appear genuine.

spear phishing:

This scam targets a specific person or business. Attackers research their victim and use relevant details to create a highly personalised message that is more likely to win the recipient’s trust.

business email compromise

In a business email compromise (BEC) scam, an attacker impersonates a director, employee or supplier to request a payment, change banking details, redirect payroll or obtain sensitive information.

smishing

This type of phishing attack uses text messages to persuade recipients to click a malicious link, call a fraudulent number or share account information.

vishing and voice cloning

Vishing involves fraudulent phone or voice messages from someone claiming to represent a trusted organisation or person. With AI voice-cloning tools, attackers may also copy the voice of a director, colleague or family member to make an urgent request sound more believable.

QR-code phishing

Also known as quishing, this tactic uses a malicious QR code to direct someone to a fake website. The code may appear in an email, document, invoice, poster or parcel, and can be hard for traditional email filters to check.

How to protect your business from phishing

Act now, before Cyber Security Awareness Month is over, and follow these practical steps:

  • Train staff to recognise AI-generated emails, voice cloning and other new phishing tactics.
  • Use advanced email security tools to catch malicious links, attachments and impersonation attempts.
  • Turn on multi-factor authentication and use passkeys or security keys where you can.
  • Check urgent requests involving payments, passwords or sensitive data through a separate channel before acting.
  • Limit publicly available staff and business information that attackers could use to personalise scams.
  • Keep software, systems and security tools fully up to date.
  • Make it quick and easy for staff to report suspicious messages the moment they spot them.

 

Let’s strengthen your phishing defences

Phishing attacks are not just an IT problem. One convincing message can expose sensitive data, disrupt your operations and damage the reputation you have worked so hard to build, sometimes within minutes.

That’s where we come in. Our team of cyber security experts can help you find weak points, strengthen your defences and put practical safeguards in place across your business, this month and beyond.

This Cyber Security Awareness Month, don’t wait for an attack to force your hand. Book a 10-minute discovery call with us today to discuss how we can protect your staff, finances and data.