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===== CLNT - EMAIL - SEC - How to check if an email is legit or phishing =====
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\\
**Audience:** End users and admins.\\
**Purpose:** Help you decide if an email is legitimate in under 60 seconds.\\
**Updated:** 2025\\

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===== THINK … (before you click) =====
  * **Are you expecting anything** right now?
  * **Are you expecting anything from these people/company**?
  * If the email mentions **domains/hosting/billing**: ask, *who is my real provider?* If it’s **not** the sender, it’s likely **phishing**.
  * If it asks you to **click**, **hover** your mouse over the button/link—your mail app shows the **actual URL**.
  * Want more certainty? In **Outlook (desktop)**: **File → Properties → Internet headers**. Check the true **From**/**Return-Path** and authentication results (SPF/DKIM/DMARC). They must match the brand you expect.
  * **Geo note:** Country/TLD is only a **weak signal**—attackers use any country and many generic TLDs. Treat geo as **extra-scrutiny**, not a blocker.

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===== Quick Email Legitimacy Checklist (Updated) =====
**Stop now if any are true:** asks for passwords/2FA, urgent payment/bank-detail changes, gift cards/crypto, remote access, or you didn’t expect it.

**1) Sender**
  - Name matches someone you know or a real department.
  - Email **address** matches the real domain (no look-alikes like `rnicrosoft.com`).
  - **Reply-To** is the same as **From**.

**2) Context**
  - Am I **expecting anything** right now?
  - Am I **expecting anything from these people/company**?
  - You were expecting this email (invoice, file, delivery, password reset).
  - You actually have an account/relationship with the company named.

**3) Links**
  - Hover shows the **same brand domain** (e.g., `https://accounts.google.com/...`).
  - No link shorteners (bit.ly, tinyurl) or random strings.
  - No QR codes you’re being pushed to scan.

**4) Attachments**
  - You expected an attachment from this sender.
  - Avoid risky types: `.exe .js .scr .bat .ps1 .vbs .iso .img .zip .html .htm`
  - Office/PDF files do **not** ask to “Enable Content/Macros”.

**5) Language & look**
  - Uses your correct name and specific details you recognise.
  - No odd grammar, threats, or too-good-to-be-true offers.
  - Branding looks right (logos not blurry; footer/legal normal).

**6) Client warnings**
  - No “External sender” or “Failed authentication (SPF/DKIM/DMARC)” banners.
  - Not flagged by your mail client as suspicious.

**7) Verify safely (don’t use email links)**
  - Open the website/app yourself from a **saved bookmark** or by **typing** the address.
  - Call/message the sender on a **known** number/channel to confirm.
  - For payments/bank changes: do a **voice check** with your contact.

**8) If suspicious**
  - Don’t click, don’t reply, don’t forward (except to IT/security).
  - Use **Report phishing** in your mail app, then delete.
  - If you clicked or entered details: **change password**, enable **MFA**, inform IT/bank, run a malware scan.
  - Optional: forward to **reportphishing@apwg.org**.

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===== Visual Example (hover reveals mismatched domain) =====
{{:picture1.png?400|}}

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===== Country & ccTLD Reference (weak signal only) =====
^ ISO ^ Country ^ ccTLD ^
| AF | Afghanistan | .af |
| AL | Albania | .al |
| AM | Armenia | .am |
| AO | Angola | .ao |
| AZ | Azerbaijan | .az |
| BA | Bosnia and Herzegovina | .ba |
| BD | Bangladesh | .bd |
| BF | Burkina Faso | .bf |
| BG | Bulgaria | .bg |
| BH | Bahrain | .bh |
| BI | Burundi | .bi |
| BJ | Benin | .bj |
| BM | Bermuda | .bm |
| BN | Brunei | .bn |
| BO | Bolivia | .bo |
| BS | Bahamas | .bs |
| BT | Bhutan | .bt |
| BY | Belarus | .by |
| BZ | Belize | .bz |
| CD | Congo (Democratic Republic) | .cd |
| CF | Central African Republic | .cf |
| CG | Congo (Republic) | .cg |
| CI | Côte d’Ivoire | .ci |
| CL | Chile | .cl |
| CN | China | .cn |
| CO | Colombia | .co |
| CR | Costa Rica | .cr |
| CU | Cuba | .cu |
| CV | Cabo Verde | .cv |
| CY | Cyprus | .cy |
| CZ | Czechia | .cz |
| DJ | Djibouti | .dj |
| DM | Dominica | .dm |
| DO | Dominican Republic | .do |
| DZ | Algeria | .dz |
| EC | Ecuador | .ec |
| EE | Estonia | .ee |
| ER | Eritrea | .er |
| ET | Ethiopia | .et |
| GA | Gabon | .ga |
| GD | Grenada | .gd |
| GE | Georgia | .ge |
| GH | Ghana | .gh |
| GM | Gambia | .gm |
| GN | Guinea | .gn |
| GQ | Equatorial Guinea | .gq |
| GT | Guatemala | .gt |
| GW | Guinea-Bissau | .gw |
| GY | Guyana | .gy |
| HN | Honduras | .hn |
| HR | Croatia | .hr |
| HT | Haiti | .ht |
| HU | Hungary | .hu |
| IN | India | .in |
| IQ | Iraq | .iq |
| IR | Iran | .ir |
| JM | Jamaica | .jm |
| JO | Jordan | .jo |
| JP | Japan | .jp |
| KE | Kenya | .ke |
| KG | Kyrgyzstan | .kg |
| KH | Cambodia | .kh |
| KI | Kiribati | .ki |
| KM | Comoros | .km |
| KN | Saint Kitts and Nevis | .kn |
| KP | North Korea | .kp |
| KR | South Korea | .kr |
| KW | Kuwait | .kw |
| KZ | Kazakhstan | .kz |
| LA | Laos | .la |
| LB | Lebanon | .lb |
| LC | Saint Lucia | .lc |
| LK | Sri Lanka | .lk |
| LR | Liberia | .lr |
| LS | Lesotho | .ls |
| LT | Lithuania | .lt |
| LV | Latvia | .lv |
| LY | Libya | .ly |
| MD | Moldova | .md |
| MG | Madagascar | .mg |
| MK | North Macedonia | .mk |
| ML | Mali | .ml |
| MM | Myanmar | .mm |
| MN | Mongolia | .mn |
| MR | Mauritania | .mr |
| MT | Malta | .mt |
| MU | Mauritius | .mu |
| MW | Malawi | .mw |
| MX | Mexico | .mx |
| MY | Malaysia | .my |
| NE | Niger | .ne |
| NG | Nigeria | .ng |
| NI | Nicaragua | .ni |
| NP | Nepal | .np |
| OM | Oman | .om |
| PA | Panama | .pa |
| PE | Peru | .pe |
| PG | Papua New Guinea | .pg |
| PK | Pakistan | .pk |
| PL | Poland | .pl |
| PR | Puerto Rico | .pr |
| PS | Palestine | .ps |
| PW | Palau | .pw |
| PY | Paraguay | .py |
| QA | Qatar | .qa |
| RO | Romania | .ro |
| RS | Serbia | .rs |
| RU | Russia | .ru |
| RW | Rwanda | .rw |
| SA | Saudi Arabia | .sa |
| SB | Solomon Islands | .sb |
| SC | Seychelles | .sc |
| SD | Sudan | .sd |
| SG | Singapore | .sg |
| SI | Slovenia | .si |
| SK | Slovakia | .sk |
| SL | Sierra Leone | .sl |
| SM | San Marino | .sm |
| SN | Senegal | .sn |
| SO | Somalia | .so |
| SR | Suriname | .sr |
| SS | South Sudan | .ss |
| ST | São Tomé and Príncipe | .st |
| SV | El Salvador | .sv |
| SY | Syria | .sy |
| SZ | Eswatini | .sz |
| TJ | Tajikistan | .tj |
| TL | Timor-Leste | .tl |
| TM | Turkmenistan | .tm |
| TN | Tunisia | .tn |
| TO | Tonga | .to |
| TT | Trinidad and Tobago | .tt |
| TV | Tuvalu | .tv |
| TW | Taiwan | .tw |
| TZ | Tanzania | .tz |
| UA | Ukraine | .ua |
| UG | Uganda | .ug |
| UZ | Uzbekistan | .uz |
| VC | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | .vc |
| VE | Venezuela | .ve |
| VG | Virgin Islands (British) | .vg |
| VI | Virgin Islands (U.S.) | .vi |
| VN | Vietnam | .vn |
| WS | Samoa | .ws |
| YE | Yemen | .ye |
| YU | Yugoslavia | .yu |
| ZA | South Africa | .za |
| ZM | Zambia | .zm |
| ZW | Zimbabwe | .zw |
| AX | Åland Islands | .ax |
| FO | Faroe Islands | .fo |
| GI | Gibraltar | .gi |
| GL | Greenland | .gl |
| GG | Guernsey | .gg |
| JE | Jersey | .je |
| MF | Saint Martin (French part) | .mf |
| MQ | Martinique | .mq |
| RE | Réunion | .re |
| SX | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | .sx |
| SH | Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha | .sh |
| PM | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | .pm |
| TF | French Southern and Antarctic Lands | .tf |
| WF | Wallis and Futuna | .wf |



**Notes:**

*.yu* (Yugoslavia) = **retired**.\\
*.mf* (Saint Martin, FR) = **reserved/not generally in operation**.\\
**Reminder:** ccTLD/country is a **weak** indicator. Always prioritise **SPF/DKIM/DMARC**, link/attachment analysis, sender reputation, and business context.\\

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====== WHAT TO DO If You Clicked — And If You Entered Info ======
**Audience:** End users (with quick admin notes).\
**Goal:** Fast, idiot-proof actions that limit damage.\
**Use when:** You clicked a suspicious link OR you entered details on a fake site.

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===== 0) TL;DR =====
  * If you only **clicked**: **Disconnect** → **Close browser** → **Clear data** → **Scan device** → **Change passwords** (if prompted/logged in). **Report it**.
  * If you **entered any info**: **Change that password NOW (from a different device)** → **Enable/confirm MFA** → **Sign out of all sessions** → **Remove risky mail rules / app tokens** → **Notify bank/IT** → **Report it**.

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===== 1) Scenario A — Clicked the link, did NOT enter anything =====
**Within 10 minutes**
  - Disconnect from the internet (Wi-Fi off / Airplane mode) if anything started to download.
  - Close the tab/app. If it won’t close, reboot.
  - **Clear only the phishing site’s data**:
    * Chrome/Edge: Menu → Settings → Privacy → Cookies & Site Data → **See all site data** → search the domain → Remove.\\
    * Safari (iOS/macOS): Settings/Preferences → Safari → Advanced → Website Data → search → Remove.
  - Delete any **downloaded** file (especially `.zip .exe .js .scr .bat .ps1 .html .iso .img`) without opening.

**Within 1 hour**
  - Run a security scan:\\
    * **Windows:** *Windows Security* → Virus & threat protection → **Scan options → Microsoft Defender Offline scan**.\\
    * **macOS:** Update macOS, then run a full scan if you have reputable AV.\\
    * **Android:** Play Store → Play Protect → **Scan**.\\
    * **iOS/iPadOS:** Update iOS; Settings → General → **VPN & Device Management** → remove unknown profiles.
  - If that browser was already **logged in** to email/banking, change those passwords as a precaution.

**Report**
  - Use **Report phishing** in your mail app and send the message to IT/security.\\
  - Optional public reporting: **[[https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/|ACCC Scamwatch]]**, **[[https://www.cyber.gov.au/report-and-recover/report|ReportCyber (ACSC)]]**, **reportphishing@apwg.org**.

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===== 2) Scenario B — You entered info on the phishing site =====
Do **all** applicable items below, in this order.

**A) If you entered your work or personal account password**
  - From a **different, clean device**, go change the password **immediately**.
  - Turn **MFA on** (or re-enrol a fresh MFA method).
  - **Sign out everywhere**:\\
    * Google: myaccount.google.com → Security → **Manage all devices** → Sign out of unrecognised devices; **Third-party access** → Remove unknown apps.\\
    * Microsoft 365: myaccount.microsoft.com → Security info → **Sign out everywhere**; **Apps & services** → Remove unknown OAuth grants.
  - Check **mail rules** and **forwarding**:
    * Look for auto-forward to unknown addresses, reply-to changes, or auto-delete rules. Remove anything suspicious.

**B) If you entered card or banking info**
  - Call your bank immediately (use the number on the card/official app) → **block the card** and **dispute** any charges.
  - Turn on transaction alerts. Consider a **temporary credit ban/freeze** with AU credit bureaus (Equifax, illion, Experian).

**C) If you entered ID documents (driver’s licence, passport, Medicare)**
  - Contact the issuing authority to **flag** or **replace** the document number (as per their policy).
  - Get identity assistance: **[[https://www.idcare.org/|IDCARE]]** (AU/NZ identity support).

**D) If you installed anything or accepted an extension**
  - Uninstall the app/extension. Reboot.
  - Run the scans listed in *Scenario A* (Defender Offline etc.).
  - For managed work devices: **isolate** the device and notify IT to run full EDR scans.

**E) Tell IT/Security (work accounts)**
  - Send the original email (as attachment if possible) and include: your username, time clicked, data typed, files downloaded, current device state.
  - Expect IT to: force password resets, revoke sessions/tokens, check mail rules, scan hosts, and monitor sign-ins.

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===== 3) What NOT to do =====
  - Don’t keep browsing the phishing site “to look around.”
  - Don’t reply to the attacker or use links/phone numbers provided in the email.
  - Don’t reuse the compromised password anywhere else.

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===== 4) Aftercare (next 24–72 hours) =====
  - Watch your inbox for password-reset emails you didn’t initiate.
  - Review recent account activity/sign-ins; enable **login alerts**.
  - For banking: monitor transactions; keep your case reference from support.
  - Consider a **security check-up** (Google/Microsoft account security pages).

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===== 5) Optional: Template to report to IT =====
(see [[https://wanip.io|wanip.io]] for info below)

> **Subject:** Possible phishing — clicked/entered info  
> **When:** YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM (local time)  
> **From address of email:** (copy/paste)  
> **Link hovered/visited:** (full URL)  
> **What I did:** Clicked only / Entered password / Entered card# / Downloaded file (specify)  
> **Device & OS:** (e.g., Windows 11 laptop)  
> **Browser:** (e.g., Chrome)  
> **Actions taken so far:** Disconnected, cleared site data, Defender Offline scan, changed password, enabled MFA, notified bank, etc.  
> **Attachments:** Original email (.eml/.msg) and any screenshots.

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===== 6) Quick Reference (one-minute flow) =====
  - Clicked? **Disconnect → Close → Clear site data → Scan → Report.**\
  - Entered info? **Change password (other device) → Enable MFA → Sign out everywhere → Remove mail rules/OAuth apps → Notify bank/IT → Report.**