Don’t Get Caught – Phishing Is No Joke

April 1st might be a time for harmless pranks, but cybercriminals are pulling tricks all year round, & their punchlines are a lot more damaging.

Phishing is one of the most common (and effective) cyber threats today. It’s the art of deception, where attackers disguise themselves as trustworthy sources to steal personal or business information. Clicking the wrong link, downloading the wrong file, or entering your details on a spoofed site could compromise your data, systems, & reputation.

Findings from IBM’s 2024 report for the UK show that Phishing accounted for 12% of the breaches in 2024, costing an estimated £3.59 million. ^[1]

Types of Phishing to Watch Out For

Email Phishing ✉️

Fake emails that look like they’re from banks, suppliers, clients, or even colleagues – urging you to “act fast” or “verify your account.”

Spear Phishing 🎣

More targeted. These scams use personal information to trick specific individuals inside a company. Think: a finance manager getting an email that looks like it’s from the director or CEO.

Smishing 📲
(SMS Phishing)

Text messages with questionable links pretending to be from delivery companies, HMRC, or even your mobile provider.

Vishing 📞
(Voice Phishing)

Phone calls from scammers pretending to be IT support, banks, or even Microsoft, urging you to “verify your identity.”

Links sent via platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Teams, or Slack. If it’s unexpected, question it.

Email Phishing ✉️
Fake emails that look like they’re from banks, suppliers, clients, or even colleagues – urging you to “act fast” or “verify your account.”

Spear Phishing 🎣
More targeted. These scams use personal information to trick specific individuals inside a company. Think: a finance manager getting an email that looks like it’s from the director or CEO.

Smishing 📲 (SMS Phishing)
Text messages with questionable links pretending to be from delivery companies, HMRC, or even your mobile provider.

Vishing 📞 (Voice Phishing)
Phone calls from scammers pretending to be IT support, banks, or even Microsoft, urging you to “verify your identity.”

Social Media & Chat Phishing 💬
Links sent via platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Teams, or Slack. If it’s unexpected, question it.

What You Can Do About It?

Hover, Don’t Click:
Check links before clicking - do they look suspicious or unfamiliar?

Double-Check Senders:
Phishing emails often look real at a glance. Always double-check the sender’s email address.

Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA):
Even if passwords are compromised, MFA adds an extra layer of protection.

Report It:
If something smells phishy, report it to your IT provider or internal team.

Don’t Download Attachments Blindly:
Unless you’re expecting the file, don’t open it.

How LVL1 Can Help

At LVL1, we don’t just provide IT support, we help businesses level up their cybersecurity game:

Email Filtering & Security 🔐
Block dodgy links & suspicious attachments before they hit inboxes

Phishing Simulations 🧠
Test your team with real-world scenarios & see who takes the bait, then train them to spot the signs

Security Awareness Training 🎓
Empower your team with ongoing training & bite-sized tips that stick

System Hardening & Threat Detection 🛡️
From Office 365 to endpoint security, we lock things down

Let’s Make You a Harder Target

Phishing attacks aren’t going away, but with the right systems and awareness in place, they don’t have to be a threat.

Book a quick consultation with LVL1 and let’s keep your business off the hook.

📞 Call Us | 📧 phish@lvl1.co.uk

References

[1] IBM 30/07/2024 (31/03/2025) | https://uk.newsroom.ibm.com/IBM-Report-Soaring-Data-Breach-Disruption-Drive-Costs-to-Record-Levels#:~:text=Stolen%20credentials%20lead%20breach%20causes,11%25%20(%C2%A34.03).