--- title: 5 Step Guide to Identify a Phishing Email description: Spam and phishing is an unfortunate reality for all businesses to combat. Download our 5 step guide to identify phishing to protect your self from email scams. image: https://blog.joinvanderbilt.com/hubfs/Blog/Phishing-921947-edited.jpg --- [![Logo-nav-for-web](https://blog.joinvanderbilt.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Images/Logo-nav-for-web.jpg?width=150&name=Logo-nav-for-web.jpg)](http://joinvanderbilt.com/) - [Home](http://joinvanderbilt.com/) - [About Us](http://joinvanderbilt.com/letter-from-our-ceo/) - [Welcome from our CEO](http://joinvanderbilt.com/letter-from-our-ceo/) - [Unique Culture](http://joinvanderbilt.com/unique-culture/) - [Meet Our Team](http://joinvanderbilt.com/meet-our-team/) - [Sustainable Wealth Management Firm](http://joinvanderbilt.com/sustainable-broker-dealer/) - [Our Services](http://joinvanderbilt.com/impact-investments/) - [Impact Investing](https://joinvanderbilt.com/impact-investments/) - [Investments Services](http://joinvanderbilt.com/investment/) - [Insurance](http://joinvanderbilt.com/insurance-services/) - [Advisory Services](http://joinvanderbilt.com/advisory-services-2/) - [Technology Platform](http://joinvanderbilt.com/tech-suite/) - [Join Us](http://joinvanderbilt.com/why-vanderbilt-independent-broker-dealer/) - [Why Vanderbilt](http://joinvanderbilt.com/why-vanderbilt-independent-broker-dealer/) - [Transition Process](http://joinvanderbilt.com/transition/) - [Timeline](http://joinvanderbilt.com/in-the-news/) - [Resources](https://blog.joinvanderbilt.com) - [Blog](https://blog.joinvanderbilt.com) - [Videos](http://joinvanderbilt.com/videos/) - [In The Press](https://joinvanderbilt.com/in-the-press/) - [Contact Us](https://joinvanderbilt.com/contact-us/) # Join Vanderbilt Blog # 5 Step Guide to Identify a Phishing Email Posted by [Vanderbilt Financial Group](https://blog.joinvanderbilt.com/author/vanderbilt-financial-group) on 3/28/17 2:53 PM Find me on: [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/Vanderbiltfinancialgroup) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/vanderbilt-financial-group?trk=top_nav_home) [Twitter](https://twitter.com/VanderbiltFG) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ###### Spam and phishing is an unfortunate reality for all businesses to combat. In order to maintain a secure, compliant, and successful business, we must protect ourselves against phishing by becoming vigilant and smart in our daily activities. ![Phishing-921947-edited.jpg](https://blog.joinvanderbilt.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/Phishing-921947-edited.jpg?width=711&height=400&name=Phishing-921947-edited.jpg) #### What is Phishing? **Phishing** refers to the **malicious attempt to get sensitive information** of individuals by the use of fraudulent emails and electronic communication that direct users to enter sensitive information at a fake webpage.  **Cyber criminals** craft convincing looking emails and send them to individuals and organizations. They utilize multiple servers and don’t know who will fall victim. The more emails they send out, the more opportunities they have to **hack** individuals.  Nowadays, phishing emails can look very convincing because the scammers research their targets extensively by using **social media** and public online forums. Once a device is compromised, the scammers can read the contents of inboxes to create extremely convincing emails that appear relevant to their targets. These are scams that people usually fall for. **You are a target at home and at work.**  As a **[financial advisor](https://blog.joinvanderbilt.com/topic/financial-advisors)**, you need to protect your own private data as well as your client’s data. **Any breach of data can be costly to any individual and any business.** ###### **The best protection aside from firewalls and spam filters is *you!*** **Contact your Technology or cyber security team to find out how to report phishing attempts.**   #### Our 5 Step Guide to Identify a Phishing Email To learn some quick tips on how to be vigilant to protect yourself and your clients against the dangers of Phishing, download our 5 Step Guide below.   [![Download Now 5 Step Guide to Identify a Phishing Email](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/562242/25aac97a-e1fc-484f-aa24-c63da720c057.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/562242/25aac97a-e1fc-484f-aa24-c63da720c057)   Topics: [Financial Advisors](https://blog.joinvanderbilt.com/topic/financial-advisors), [Financial Technology](https://blog.joinvanderbilt.com/topic/financial-technology), [Cybersecurity](https://blog.joinvanderbilt.com/topic/cybersecurity), [phishing](https://blog.joinvanderbilt.com/topic/phishing), [Email](https://blog.joinvanderbilt.com/topic/email) ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Recent Posts Copyright 2015 - All Rights Reserved - Vanderbilt Financial Group 125 Froehlich Farm Blvd, Woodbury, NY 11797 | Phone: [631.845.5100](tel:6318455100) Vanderbilt Financial Group is the marketing name for Vanderbilt Securities, LLC and its affiliates. Securities offered through Vanderbilt Securities, LLC. Member FINRA, SIPC. Registered with MSRB.  Clearing agent: Fidelity Clearing & Custody Solutions Advisory Services offered through Vanderbilt Advisory Services & Consolidated Portfolio Review. Clearing agents: Fidelity  Clearing & Custody Solutions, Charles Schwab   Supervising Office: 125 Froehlich Farm Blvd, Woodbury, NY 11797 • [631-845-5100](tel:6318455100)   For additional information on services, disclosures, fees, and conflicts of interest, please visit [www.vanderbiltfg.com/disclosures](http://www.vanderbiltfg.com/disclosures)   VFG uses MSCI, an industry leader in driving ESG and Climate transparency through objective measuring and modeling of ESG characteristics. Learn more at [MSCI.com](http://msci.com/). VFG and its affiliates support and promote Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (“ESG”), Socially Responsible Investing (“SRI”), and Impact Investing, but the Firm and its affiliates do not require or mandate that its financial professionals engage solely in related activities.  Clients of the Firm and its affiliates are not required to adopt or invest in any specific security, strategy, or portfolio. We take protecting your data and privacy very seriously. As of January 1, 2020 the [California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)](https://www.caprivacy.org/) suggests the following link as an extra measure to safeguard your data: [Do not sell my personal information](https://www.joinvanderbilt.com/do-not-sell-personal-info). - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vanderbilt-Financial-Group/162109927178504) - [Twitter](https://twitter.com/VanderbiltFG) - [Instagram](https://www.linkedin.com/company/vanderbilt-financial-group)