In today’s digital workplace, one of the most common and damaging cyberthreats comes directly to employees’ inboxes. Deceptive emails, better known as phishing emails, target employees of every level, from interns to C-suites. Businesses in Florida are no exception—attackers everywhere rely on emails and human error to gain access to systems, credentials, or financial data. Recent data even shows that roughly 91% of cyberattacks begin with a phishing email.
Whether you’re a business leader, IT administrator, or frontline employee, it’s vital to recognize and respond accurately to phishing attempts.
Use this guide to improve your and your team’s ability to spot phishing emails and discover what your team should do to stay safe.
1. Understand What Phishing Emails Look Like
A phishing email’s goal is to trick the recipient into clicking a link, opening an attachment, or giving away login credentials.
The attacker typically impersonates someone or something trusted, such as a vendor, bank, internal executive, or government agency.
The trick is to appear legitimate while manipulating the recipient’s urgency or trust.
Some key indicators of a phishing email include:
Slightly Off Email Address
The sender’s address looks almost right but has a slight variation. For instance, if your support email is support@your-company.com, the scammer’s email may be support@your-company-inc.com.
Urgent Language
Phishing emails often use urgent language, such as “Your account will be locked in 24 hours—click this link to save it,” “Immediate invoice payment required,” or “Click here to update your credentials now.”
Suspicious Attachments
They may also include suspicious attachments or links.
Generic Language
Phishing emails tend to include generic greetings like “Dear user” or “Dear employee” rather than your name.
Misspellings and Grammar Mistakes
Phishing emails are notorious for including misspellings, odd grammar, mismatched branding, or even a logo that looks slightly off.
Mismatched URLs
The URLs in phishing emails typically present one way but look totally different from the URLs that appear when you hover over the links.
Request for Sensitive Information
Phishing emails often ask for sensitive information, like passwords, Social Security numbers, and bank accounts.
Since Florida businesses often deal with remote and hybrid employees, identifying these cues matters even more: remote workers may not have the same oversight or immediate peer-checks that in-office teams do.
2. Be Aware of Common Phishing Scenarios
Scammers tend to rely on tried-and-true phishing methods. Here are a few phishing email patterns you should be aware of:
Vendor Invoice Scam
You receive an email from a known vendor stating that their bank account details have changed and that you need to update and transfer funds today.
CEO or Executive Impersonation
Called a Business Email Compromise scam, this occurs when you receive an email that appears to come from your company’s CEO or finance director asking for an urgent wire transfer or gift card purchase.
Credential Harvesting
This type of email links to a fake login page, like the login page for Office 365, Google Workspace, a bank, or something similar. It will ask you to enter your username and password, and once you do, your credentials are sent straight to the scammer.
Attachment With Malware
The email claims to have an invoice, shipping label, or legal notice in the attachment. If you click it, you’ll install malware or ransomware.
Account-Notification Spoof
The email includes false account notifications, such as “Unusual sign-in detected. Please click here to verify your account.” If you click the button or link, you may give up credentials or install malware.
Holiday/Travel Offers or W-2 Scams
Especially near tax season or in companies with seasonal staff, employees may receive fake emails from HR or payroll departments about W-2 changes or travel reimbursements. They will often encourage you to click on malicious links to “access these changes or benefits.” In a state like Florida, where companies may have seasonal hires, remote staff, or frequent vendor interactions, these patterns are especially relevant.
3. Have a Process for When You Suspect a Phishing Email
It’s essential to create a transparent process for when you or a team member receives a suspicious email.
Phishing email processes should look like:
Verifying Emails or Links Before Taking Action
Team members should never click a link or open an attachment until they are sure the email is legitimate.
Verify Senders
Team members should verify the sender via another channel. If the email appears to come from a vendor, call the vendor’s known phone number, not the number in the suspicious email. If it seems to come from your CEO, call or message them directly to verify.
Report Suspicious Emails
Team members should report the email to their IT/security team if they are suspicious of email headers, sender domains, attachments, and links. Many organizations have a “Report Phish” button or designated mailbox for suspicious emails.
Change Credentials
Team members should change their credentials if they have clicked a suspicious link or entered information into a suspicious portal. Also require multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all accounts. Even if your password is captured, MFA helps block attackers.
Stay Educated
Educate the team on current phishing scams. Also, share with your team if one person has been targeted. Typically, if one employee receives a phishing email, the rest of the team may be targeted soon, as phishing attacks often come in waves. Alerting your team of a single email will keep everyone alert.
4. Train Your Employees on Your Process and Enforce Policies
Having technical defenses like spam filters, email authentication protocols, and endpoint protection in place is vital. However, it’s as important, if not more, to train your team on how to avoid a phishing scam. After all, people are your weakest link, and scammers know how to capitalize on human error.
But remember, one-time training doesn’t eliminate risk. It must be ongoing and combined with several verification processes.
Here are some training practices Florida businesses should implement:
Simulation Drills
Perform regular phishing simulation drills with realistic scenarios that are relevant to your industry. For example, send out simulated vendor invoices, executive impersonation, and payroll email scams. These simulations will show you who can spot phishing emails and who needs better training.
Establish Clear Verification Policies
Create clear verification policies for financial transactions, vendor changes, or credential resets. If the email requests sensitive info, your policies should require a text, email, or phone verification.
Require Multi-Factor Authorization (MFA)
Have your team set up MFA and least privilege access so that even if an account is compromised, the attacker’s lateral movement through your systems is limited.
Educate About Cloud and Mobile Use
Florida companies often have remote or mobile employees. Phishing attacks increasingly target mobile devices, where links and domains may appear differently.
5. Make Sure Your Business Operation Is Protected by MHD
For business leaders in Florida or anywhere nationwide, investing in managed IT security and employee training pays off. Losses from phishing can include stolen credentials, data breaches, financial fraud, business disruption, or reputational damage, which can lead to detrimental financial damage. However, a partnership with an IT security company like MHD significantly diminishes risk.
Partnering with an experienced IT security provider like MHD means you get:
- Email security assessments (filtering, sender-policy framework (SPF)/DKIM/DMARC setup)
- Managed phishing-simulation campaigns and training tailored to your workforce
- Incident response planning and 24/7 support if a phishing attack hits
- Policy development around vendor verification, credential resets, and financial workflows
- Mobile-device and cloud-access monitoring for phishing attempts outside the corporate perimeter
Stay Vigilant, Stay Secure
Phishing is a persistent, evolving threat. What made an email suspicious last year might look far more convincing this year, especially with the rise of AI-generated content or deep-fake voice technology. The best defense is vigilance, verification, and teamwork. For Florida businesses and those across the U.S., a single click can compromise your organization.
If your team receives a suspicious email, pause, verify, and report it. If you’d like to review your company’s email-security setup, conduct a phishing simulation, or strengthen your incident response plan, contact MHD today. We’re here to protect your business so you can focus on what you do best.
Don’t Get Taken Down by a Phishing Email. Talk to MHD About Our Cybersecurity Services Today: 833-MHD-INFO (833-643-4636).
MHD protects businesses in and around Tampa Bay and Palm Beach from breaches related to phishing emails and other cyberthreats.
Contact an MHD specialist at 833-MHD-INFO (833-643-4636) to learn more about our managed IT security services for your Florida business.
MHD is your premier IT partner, serving businesses in and around Tampa, Florida, and West Palm Beach, Florida.
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