Phishing - Blog #1

 Today in class, we talked about phishing and the different ways people can be tricked into giving away information or doing something they normally wouldn’t do. I already knew that phishing was a thing, but I honestly did not realize how many different forms it can take. It is not always some obviously fake email from a random person asking for your bank information. It can be texts, emails, phone calls, fake websites, messages pretending to be from companies you actually use, or even something that looks like a normal request from someone you know. The more we talked about it, the more I realized that phishing is really about getting someone to react before they stop and think.

I have always considered myself basically un-phishable. I am honestly waiting for the day that I finally fall for something just so I can be humbled. I get scam texts constantly, especially the ones claiming that I have an unpaid toll road fee and that I need to pay immediately or I will be taken to court/arrested. At this point, I can tell with 100% accuracy they are fake almost immediately. If I get an email, text, or anything else that seems even remotely sketchy, I just delete it without giving a second thought. I also never answer phone calls I'm not expecting, which probably helps.

However, what stood out to me today is that being careful does not necessarily mean I am completely immune to phishing. Scams are designed to look convincing, and the more technology changes, the more believable they can become. I think the biggest thing I learned is that being skeptical is probably one of the best forms of protection. I may still consider myself un-phishable for now...but I am definitely a little less confident about it after today.

Comments

  1. williams.dan76September 15, 2026 at 6:53 AM

    Thanks, Lauren, this is a great blog post. Stopping and thinking is a great reaction, or, as the presenters suggested, stop, think, and verify. I have read a lot about phishing, but I fear that I will also be humbled by not taking time to stop, think, and verify. None of us are immune. Given an opportune moment and context, all of us might succumb. That's the scary part. But I am hopeful that, as phishing becomes more and more sophisticated, so will our levels of awareness and prevention strategies.

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