It might seem simple, but it works: Taking a five-second pause before clicking on an email is one of the most effective cybersecurity tools your business has.

Many phishing scams targeting small business employees succeed because someone at work was rushed or distracted.

Before clicking a link, opening an attachment, changing payment instructions, or responding to an urgent request, taking a few extra seconds to verify what you're looking at could prevent a costly mistake.

Why Phishing Still Works

Phishing scams have become more sophisticated over the years. Many no longer contain obvious spelling mistakes or suspicious formatting. Some appear to come from trusted vendors, co-workers, executives, financial institutions, or software platforms your business uses every day.

The goal is usually the same: to convince someone to click a link, open an attachment, send money, share sensitive information, or grant access to a system. This is why employee awareness remains one of the most important parts of any fraud prevention strategy.

Four Questions to Ask Before You Click

  1. Do You Know the Sender? Be cautious of messages from unfamiliar senders. Even when the sender appears familiar, take a close look at the actual email address. Scammers often create addresses or domains that closely resemble legitimate businesses or individuals. Before opening attachments or responding to requests, verify that the sender is who they claim to be.
  2. Are the Links Pointing to a Legitimate Website? Before clicking a link, check where it leads. On a computer, you can hover over a link to preview the destination. On many mobile devices, pressing and holding a link will display the full web address. If the destination looks suspicious, contains unusual spellings, or does not match the organization’s sending the message, don't click. When in doubt, visit the organization's website directly rather than using the link provided in the email.
  3. Does the Request Make Sense? Many successful scams involve requests that seem routine at first glance. A vendor suddenly wants a payment to be sent to a new account. A customer requests sensitive information. Someone asks for password credentials. An executive requests gift cards or a wire transfer. Even if the request appears legitimate, take a moment to consider whether it fits normal business practices. If something feels unusual, verify the request using another method of communication before taking action.
  4. Is There a Sense of Urgency? Creating urgency is one of the oldest tricks in the fraud playbook. Scammers often claim there is a billing problem, an overdue payment, a locked account, a legal issue, or an emergency that requires immediate action. The goal is to prevent you from stopping to think. When a message pressures you to act immediately, treat that urgency as a reason to slow down, not speed up.

Beyond Training: Building Better Habits

Employee education is important, but good processes matter too. Businesses can help reduce risk by:

  • Requiring dual approval for certain payments
  • Verifying changes to payment instructions by phone
  • Using multifactor authentication
  • Developing procedures for reporting suspicious messages
  • Providing ongoing employee awareness training

The goal is not to create fear or distrust. The goal is to create habits that help employees recognize potential threats before a mistake occurs.

If Something Doesn't Feel Right, Stop and Verify

Most fraud attempts don't succeed because employees are careless. They succeed because people are busy. If a message seems unusual, requests sensitive information, changes payment instructions, asks for account credentials, or simply doesn't feel right, stop and verify the request before taking action.

A few extra minutes of caution can prevent a costly mistake.

Concerned About a Potential Fraud Attempt?

If you believe you've received a suspicious email, text message, phone call, or payment request involving your accounts or financial information, contact your banker as soon as possible. You can also reach our team through our Contact Us page.

Early reporting may help limit losses and protect your accounts.