How to report phishing in Outlook? Just in 1 Click

If you’re using the Microsoft Outlook app or the online version, like websites, it’s important to report phishing emails. Reporting messages that seem to be valid but are designed to hack personal information can help prevent others from falling victim to these attacks. Phishing emails are a type of social engineering attack that aims to cheat you into leaking sensitive information like credit card numbers, usernames, and passwords.

When a phishing email is reported, the system becomes more expert at identifying suspicious emails rather than just marking them as trash. In this article, we’ll explain how to report phishing emails in Microsoft Outlook.

What is Email Phishing?

Email phishing is a type of cyberattack where an attacker impersonates a legitimate organization or individual in an attempt to cheat the receiver into revealing sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, or personal identification details. The attacker typically sends fraudulent emails that appear to come from trusted sources, such as banks, government agencies, or popular online services.

The goal of phishing is often to trick the recipient into performing actions like:

1. Clicking on malicious links: These links may lead to fake websites designed to steal login credentials or install malware on the victim’s device.
2. Downloading attachments: The attachments may contain malicious software (malware) that can harm the victim’s system or steal data.
3. Providing personal information: The email may prompt the recipient to enter sensitive information directly into a fake form or website, which the attacker can use for fraudulent purposes.

Phishing emails often look convincing, using official logos, language, and email addresses that mimic legitimate entities. However, they usually contain signs of suspicious activity, such as grammatical errors, urgent requests, or unfamiliar links.

Why Report Phishing Emails?

Reporting phishing emails instead of simply deleting them or marking them as spam offers several important benefits. When you report phishing attempts, it helps organizations like Microsoft take instant action to protect you and others from potential harm. Here’s why reporting phishing emails is essential:

1. Prevents Further Attacks: By reporting phishing emails, you help organizations like Microsoft identify and block malicious senders. This prevents the same phishing attempt from reaching others, reducing the overall risk of widespread attacks.
2. Improves Detection Systems: Reporting phishing emails helps improve spam and phishing detection systems. The more data these systems have about phishing attempts, the better they become at identifying and filtering out similar emails in the future.
3. Protects Personal Information: Reporting phishing allows authorities to take action to protect your personal information. If you’ve unknowingly provided sensitive data, reporting the phishing attempt can help organizations act quickly to mitigate any potential damage.
4. Increases Awareness: When phishing attempts are reported, they raise awareness within the community. Other users may receive alerts or warnings about new phishing tactics, helping them stay vigilant and avoid falling victim to similar scams.
5. Assists Law Enforcement: Reporting phishing attempts also supports law enforcement and cybersecurity professionals in tracking down and prosecuting cybercriminals. The information you provide can help build cases against cybercriminal networks.

How to Report Email Phishing in Outlook

Open the Outlook app on your desktop or go to the Outlook website and sign in.

1. Identify the suspicious email without clicking on any internal links.
2. Click the dropdown arrow beside the Report button and choose Report phishing.

3. Click the OK button when the verification message for Report Phishing appears.

4. Alternatively, right-click an email, choose Report > Report phishing, and click OK on the verification message.

Report Phishing Emails on Outlook Mobile

If you’re using the Outlook app on iPhone or Android, you can report phishing emails by following these steps:

1. Open the Outlook app on your phone or tablet.

Open the email you suspect is phishing and tap the Options (three-dot) icon at the top.

Select the Report Junk option from the menu that appears on the screen.

Select the Phishing option when the second menu appears on the screen.

Tap the Report button when the verification message appears and confirm.

How to report phishing in outlook 365

To report phishing in Outlook 365, follow these steps:

1. Open Outlook 365: Log in to your Outlook account.
2. Select the Suspicious Email: Go to your inbox and click on the email you suspect is phishing.
3. Click the “Junk” Button: At the top of the page, click the “Junk” button in the toolbar.
4. Select “Phishing”: From the dropdown menu, choose “Phishing” to report the email as phishing.
5. Confirm: A prompt will appear confirming that you want to report the email. Click “OK” to confirm.

By reporting phishing emails, you help Microsoft improve its phishing detection and protect other users. 

Report Email Phishing in Outlook

If you receive an unknown email that you doubt is phishing, or if you’re certain it is, you can easily report it in Outlook by following the above steps.

Remember, authentic organizations such as your bank, the IRS, fintech companies, PayPal, Amazon, Apple, and others will never send spam emails asking you to verify your credentials.

When you change your password, login from an insecure device, or if someone else attempts to change your password, you may receive similar emails. However, as mentioned earlier, always visit the official website directly to confirm your information and avoid clicking on links in suspicious messages.

Reporting a phishing email in Outlook is a great way to protect both your security and that of others.

Resource: groovy post

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