How To Report A Suspicious Email

Security & Access KB-1363

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How To Report A Suspicious Email. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Quick Tip: Need immediate assistance? 💻 Open a Ticket

Common Causes

Phishing emails are a common tactic used by cybercriminals to trick users into revealing passwords, financial details, or other sensitive information. These messages often appear to come from trusted sources, such as banks, suppliers, or colleagues. If you suspect you have received a phishing email, reporting it to 220 Internet Services allows our security team to analyse the message and take steps to protect your organisation and other customers.

Quick Fix Steps

Do not click any links or open attachments in the suspicious email.
Forward the email as an attachment to your 220 Internet Services support contact.
Delete the original message from your inbox and deleted items folder.
If you clicked a link or entered credentials, reset your password immediately.

Detailed Instructions

Identifying a Suspicious Email

Before reporting, look for common warning signs of phishing:

Unexpected requests for passwords, payment details, or personal information.
Sender addresses that do not match the organisation they claim to represent.
Urgent or threatening language designed to pressure you into acting quickly.
Spelling and grammatical errors, or unusual formatting.
Links that lead to unfamiliar websites when you hover over them without clicking.

Reporting the Email

Leave the suspicious email in your inbox. Do not forward it as plain text if your email client offers an alternative, as header information is important for analysis.
Select the email and choose the option to forward it as an attachment. This preserves the message headers, which our security team needs to trace the origin of the email.
Address the message to your 220 Internet Services support contact.
Include a brief note explaining why you suspect the email is phishing, such as "Unexpected invoice from unknown supplier" or "Request to update banking details."
Send the message.

If you are using Microsoft Outlook, you can typically forward an email as an attachment by selecting the message, going to the Home tab, clicking More Respond Actions, and choosing Forward as Attachment.

What Happens Next

Once received, the 220 Internet Services security team will:

Analyse the email headers and content to determine if it is a phishing attempt.
Check for known malicious links or attachments.
Block the sender or associated domains where possible to protect other customers.
Provide guidance on any further action you need to take.

Troubleshooting

I Already Clicked a Link or Opened an Attachment

If you have interacted with a suspicious email:

Disconnect your computer from the internet or Wi-Fi immediately.
Reset your Windows login password and any other passwords you may have entered on the linked website.
Run a full antivirus scan on your device if you opened an attachment.
Open a Ticket so our team can assist with further investigation.

Never reply to a suspicious email or attempt to "unsubscribe" from it. This confirms to the sender that your email address is active and may result in more phishing attempts.

For ongoing protection, ensure your email filtering is active and your staff are trained to recognise phishing attempts. If you receive multiple suspicious emails or believe your account may be compromised, Open a Ticket for assistance.

If you host with us, you don't need to do this yourself — just Open a Ticket and our Brisbane team will get it sorted.

Still Having Issues?

Need more help? If the issue persists after trying these steps, please open a support ticket and our team will assist you.

💻 Open a Ticket