Think You’d Know a Scam If You Saw One? These Real Phishing Examples Might Surprise You.
If you’ve ever stared at an email and thought, “This looks kind of real… but something feels off,” you’re not alone. Phishing emails aren’t always full of typos or far-fetched stories anymore. These days, they look polished, professional—and alarmingly convincing.
We’ve worked with business owners, office admins, and team leads who’ve nearly clicked on something that would have compromised their systems. Some of them did click. Not because they weren’t careful—but because phishing emails are designed to trick even smart, responsible people.
That’s why we put together this guide with real phishing examples, so you can see exactly how these scams show up in your inbox, and what to look for before you click. The best defense starts with awareness.
💡 Did You Know?
Reviewing real phishing examples during training can improve employee click-resistance by up to 40%, according to industry studies.
Want to improve your phishing awareness training? Start with these real phishing examples.
Example #1: The Fake Microsoft Security Alert
Subject: Unusual sign-in activity detected – Action Required
This email looks like it’s from Microsoft, complete with a logo and a link to “secure your account.” But hovering over the button reveals a non-Microsoft URL like microsoft-login-alerts.com.signinverify.ru.
Red Flags:
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Urgent language: “Action Required”
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Lookalike domain
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Poor grammar in the body of the message
What to do: Hover before clicking and always go directly to the login page by typing the URL in your browser.
Example #2: Spoofed CEO Request for Gift Cards
Subject: Need a Favor – Confidential
This classic Business Email Compromise (BEC) email appears to come from the CEO, asking an assistant to purchase gift cards urgently “for a client meeting.” It may even include a signature block and seem conversational.
Red Flags:
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Reply-to address doesn’t match the company domain
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Unusual request with a sense of secrecy
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No greeting or context
What to do: Always verify unusual requests by phone, even if it seems like it’s from someone in your company.
Note that gift cards scams are not only common around the holidays. We should always be vigilant that this is a real threat. Learn more in our blog Computer Security Alert: Beware of Holiday Gift Card Scams.
💡 Did You Know?
Many businesses don’t realize they’ve been targeted until after the damage is done. Studying real phishing examples helps teams recognize the subtle red flags before it’s too late.
Example #3: Fake QuickBooks Invoice
Subject: New invoice from [Your Company Name] available for download
The email includes a PDF invoice attachment and claims to be from QuickBooks, but the “From” address is a Gmail account. The file contains malicious macros that install malware if opened.
Red Flags:
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Unexpected invoice
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Attachment from an unknown sender
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Inconsistencies in branding
What to do: Never open attachments you weren’t expecting. Confirm invoices through your accounting platform directly.
Example #4: Dropbox File Share Scam
Subject: You have a new secure file from HR Department
This one looks like a shared document from Dropbox or DocuSign. The button says “View File,” but it redirects to a credential-stealing login page.
Red Flags:
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Generic subject line
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Button link leads to a site that isn’t Dropbox or DocuSign
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Fake login form that doesn’t use secure HTTPS or proper branding
What to do: Don’t log in through shared links unless you were expecting the document. When in doubt, confirm with the sender directly.
💡 Did You Know?
Cybercriminals often recycle the same techniques across industries—meaning that sharing and reviewing real phishing examples can protect more than just your company.
Real phishing examples help teams identify scams faster and avoid costly mistakes.
How to Use These Real Phishing Examples in Your Training
Seeing these scams up close helps employees connect the dots between vague “best practices” and real-world decisions. We recommend:
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Including these examples in new hire onboarding
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Reviewing them in monthly security awareness training
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Running phishing simulations based on real emails
Looking for a full breakdown of red flags to look for? Read our guide:
🔗 How to Spot a Phishing Email: 10 Red Flags to Watch For
Test Your Phishing Knowledge
Think you can spot a phishing email in real life? Take our interactive quiz inside the Ultimate Guide to Phishing and challenge your team to beat your score.
💡 Did You Know?
After reviewing real phishing examples, employees score significantly higher on phishing awareness quizzes—proving that seeing is just as important as learning.
Final Thoughts
Phishing attacks aren’t slowing down—they’re evolving. The days of poorly worded emails with obvious red flags are behind us. Today’s phishing emails are crafted to look legitimate, bypass spam filters, and catch people off guard during a busy workday. And they do.
That’s what makes awareness so powerful. When your team knows what to look for, even a convincing scam email becomes just another message they delete without a second thought. Reviewing real phishing examples isn’t just a helpful exercise—it’s one of the most effective ways to build that kind of instinct and protect your organization from human error.
But awareness alone isn’t enough. Businesses need a layered approach: employee training, phishing simulations, endpoint protection, and continuous monitoring. One missed email shouldn’t be enough to bring operations to a halt.
How PCC Can Help
At Professional Computer Concepts, we specialize in building cybersecurity resilience for small and mid-sized businesses. Our clients count on us not just for tools, but for guidance, clarity, and real-world training that works.
Our services include:
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Phishing simulations based on real threats
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Ongoing security awareness training
We believe protecting your business starts with empowering your people—because a well-trained team is one of your most powerful security assets.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Explore more educational resources:
- Ultimate Guide to Phishing (includes quiz)
- How to Spot a Phishing Email
- The Business Owner’s Guide to Phishing Security Awareness Training & Simulation
Or, if you’re ready to talk strategy, start the conversation with us today.