Suspected phishing email - reporting

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: Suspected phishing email - reporting. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Problem

You received an email that looks suspicious – it could be a phishing attempt to steal your credentials or infect your computer with malware.

What is Phishing?

Phishing emails try to trick you into:

• Clicking malicious links
• Downloading malware
• Providing passwords, credentials, or financial information
• Transferring money or sensitive data

Red Flags to Watch For

• Urgent or threatening language (e.g., “Your account will be closed!”)
• Suspicious sender (e.g., support@company‑secure.com instead of [email protected])
• Requests for sensitive information (passwords, bank details, employee data)
• Mismatched URLs – hover over links to see the real destination
• Poor spelling and grammar
• Unexpected attachments from unknown senders
• Too good to be true offers

How to Report a Phishing Email

Method 1: Use Outlook’s Built‑in Report Feature (Recommended)

1. Select the email in your inbox.
2. Go to the Home or Message tab in the ribbon.
3. Choose one of the following:
   • “Report” → “Report Phishing”
   • “Junk” → “Report as Phishing”
4. Click the option to report the email.
5. Confirm if prompted.
6. Delete the email from your inbox.

Method 2: Forward to IT Security Team

1. Forward the suspicious email, including the full email headers, to [email protected].
2. Do not click any links in the email before forwarding.
3. In the subject line, write: Suspected Phishing – [brief description].
4. Provide context in the body, e.g., “Received from unknown sender claiming to be …”.

Method 3: Use the Microsoft Report Message Add‑in

1. If installed, locate the “Report Message” button in the email.
2. Click it and select “Phishing”.
3. The email will be reported to Microsoft and to our IT team.

What to Do If You’ve Clicked a Suspicious Link

1. Don’t panic – act quickly.
2. Do not enter any passwords or credentials.
3. Disconnect from the internet (disable Wi‑Fi/Ethernet).
4. Do not download or run anything from the email.
5. Contact IT immediately using Open a Ticket and explain what happened.
6. Change your passwords from a different, safe computer.
7. Monitor your accounts for unusual activity.

What NOT to Do

After Reporting

• IT will investigate the email.
• The malicious sender may be blocked.
• Additional warnings may be sent to the organisation.
• You did the right thing by reporting.

Need More Help?

If you have clicked a link, provided information, are unsure whether an email is legitimate, or notice unusual account activity, please Open a Ticket.

Still Having Issues?