Phishing is all about convincing you to divulge information that could help criminals steal your money and/or install malware on your computer, potentially also selling your passwords on to others.
It works by impersonating communications from companies that you trust: banks, online payment firms like PayPal, social networks, online retailers and other technology companies, as well as government bodies (tax authorities, for example). According to Symantec, 71% of phishing attacks in 2013 were related to financial organisations.
A lot of phishing attacks are fended off without you ever seeing them, thanks to the spam filters used by companies and webmail providers. But for those that make it through to your inbox, there are some common-sense tips to ensure you don't fall victim.
If it looks wrong, it probably is wrong
Phishing often looks, well, fishy. Typos can be a sign that an email is dodgy – yes, The Guardian may be on thin ice with this point, but typos in an email from your bank really are a red flag – as are all-capitals in the email's subject and a few too many exclamation marks.
Check the email address carefully
If you often get emails from a particular company, they'll usually come from the same address – for example, the vast majority of my PayPal emails come from service@paypal.co.uk. Another address, especially one that looks strange, should raise suspicions.