Reporting a phishing email takes about a minute and helps protect others. Official guidance names where to send it and what to leave alone.
Got a fake bank, shop or delivery email? Reporting it takes under a minute, and official guidance is clear on where it goes. In the US, forward it to reportphishing@apwg.org, run by the Anti-Phishing Working Group, and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Scam texts can be forwarded to 7726, which spells SPAM on a phone keypad.
A phishing email pretends to come from a bank, a shop, a delivery firm, a government office or your employer. It tries to get you to click a link, open a file or type private details. Mail providers and public bodies use reports to warn other people. In some cases they also use them to ask hosting companies to take the linked sites down. One report from you can help protect people you will never meet.
The FTC suggests asking: do I have an account with this company, or do I know this person? If not, do not click anything. Report the message and delete it. If you do have an account, do not use the contact details in the message. Use a phone number or website you already know is real, such as the one on your card. The FTC also notes that legitimate companies do not send payment update links by email or text.
If you spotted the message and never clicked, opened a file or replied, you are in good shape once you report and delete it. Reading the text is safe enough, according to the guidance. The risk starts when you open what it points to. The NCSC, the UK's cyber agency, also says you can send as many suspicious emails as you like.
Do not reply, even to say stop. Never send card or ID numbers by email. The steps in the alert box above cover the order to follow.
Some details are still unclear. Outlook menu paths could not be confirmed, so look for a Report or Report phishing item in your app's toolbar or message menu. The Gmail steps checked were for a computer, not a phone. In the UK, the published NCSC address is report@phishing.gov.uk, but check it on the NCSC page before sending. Reporting routes for other countries have not been confirmed.
Do not click anything in a suspicious message. Report it in your mail app, forward it to reportphishing@apwg.org, tell the FTC, then delete it.
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