🤔 Think Before You Click (Microsoft 365)

While our tools scan all company emails for security threats in the first place, no system is 100% fool proof. Some malicious emails may always bypass these safeguards and reach your inbox.

Understanding the difference between spam and phishing emails is crucial for keeping you and your business safe. If, after reading the following description, you think you may have accidentally opened a suspicious link or have provided sensitive information, please contact The Light immediately.

Is it a 🗑️ Spam or 🎣 Phishing email?

	🗑️ Spam	🎣 Phishing
❓ What is it?	Unsolicited bulk messages primarily sent for commercial purposes, such as advertising products or services. They often clutter inboxes but do not typically aim to deceive recipients into providing sensitive information.	Malicious attempts to deceive individuals into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords or credit card numbers. Phishing emails impersonate trusted entities and create a sense of urgency to prompt immediate action from the recipient.
⤵️ Content	Usually contain generic advertising content and are sent in large volumes without personalisation.	Often include deceptive content that mimics legitimate communications, such as fake invoices or security alerts, and use social engineering tactics to manipulate recipients.
⁉️ Urgency & Tone	Lack of urgency, focusing instead on casual promotional pitches.	Often employ urgent language, warning recipients of account issues or security threats to prompt immediate action.
☣️ Risk	While spam is annoying, it can sometimes lead to security risks if it contains links to malicious sites. However, it is generally less harmful than phishing.	Often use spoofing techniques to appear as if they are from legitimate organisations, making them harder to identify as fraudulent. The sender’s email address may closely resemble that of a trusted source but often contains slight variations.
⏭️ What Should I do?	If you get frequent promotional emails and newsletters you should unsubscribe via the email, if this is not available, then: Microsoft 365 Using the Outlook Web App Select the email. Click the ‘Report’ button drop-down on the toolbar and click ‘Report junk’. Using the Outlook Desktop App On a computer, open the Outlook desktop app. Right-click on the email. Hover over ‘Junk’ and click either ‘Block Sender’ or ‘Report Junk’.	Microsoft 365 Open Outlook either through the web app or desktop app. Select the email. Click the ‘Report’ button drop-down on the toolbar and click ‘Report phishing’. Delete the email.