What is one sign that an email may be a phishing attempt?

Requests for urgent action are a significant sign that an email may be a phishing attempt. Phishing attacks often create a sense of urgency to manipulate the recipient into acting quickly without thinking critically about the message. Cybercriminals typically want individuals to provide sensitive information, like passwords or financial details, by instilling fear or pressure that immediate action is necessary.

While personalization might seem genuine and proper branding could lend an air of legitimacy, genuine companies generally do not ask for sensitive information in such a pressured manner. Additionally, attachments can also be a red flag, but they are usually accompanied by other suspicious elements. The key indicator in this context is the use of urgency in the request, which is often a tactic used specifically in phishing schemes.