Phishing
Phishing is when criminals send fake emails, texts, or messages pretending to be a trusted organisation — like your bank, Revenue, or a supplier — to trick you into handing over passwords, payment details, or money. Phishing attacks are the most common way small businesses get hacked. The telltale signs are urgency ('act now'), requests for passwords or payments, and email addresses that look almost right but are slightly off.
Real-world example
A Cork retail business receives an email that looks like it is from Revenue, asking them to update their bank details urgently. The owner notices the sender's email address ends in '@revenue-ie.com' rather than '@revenue.ie' and reports it instead of clicking the link.
Related terms
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