clt_email_legitimacy_checklist
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CLNT - EMAIL - SEC - How to check if an email is legit or phishing
Sir David — here’s a clean DocuWiki edit-page version tailored for all incoming emails (includes your two “Am I expecting…” checks). Paste directly into your wiki.
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Quick Email Legitimacy Checklist (For All Incoming Emails)
Audience: End users.\ Purpose: 60-second decision guide for any email you receive.\ Last updated: @@2025-10-17@@
0) Hard Stops — If any are true, **stop** and report
- Asks for passwords, 2FA codes, remote access, or confidential data.
- Urgent payment / bank change / gift cards / crypto.
- You were not expecting this email or request.
1) Expectation Check (first, 10 seconds)
- Am I expecting anything right now?
- Am I expecting anything from these people/company?
- Do I actually have an account or relationship with the named company?
If No to any → treat as suspicious and go to 8) If Suspicious.
2) Sender Check
- Display name matches someone you know or a real department.
- Email address uses the real domain (no look-alikes like `rnicrosoft.com`, no extra words).
- Reply-To matches the From address (no domain switch).
3) Link Safety
- Hover links: target stays on the brand’s real domain (e.g. `https://accounts.google.com/…`, not `https://google.secure-login.example.com/…`).
- No link shorteners (bit.ly, tinyurl) or random strings.
- Avoid scanning QR codes from emails.
4) Attachments
- You were expecting an attachment from this sender.
- Block risky types: `.exe .js .scr .bat .ps1 .vbs .iso .img .zip .html .htm`
- Office/PDF should not ask to “Enable Content/Macros”.
5) Language & Look
- Uses your correct name and specific details you recognise.
- No threats, pressure, giveaways, or too-good-to-be-true offers.
- Branding looks normal (not blurry; footer/legal details look standard).
6) Mail Client Warnings
- No “External Sender” or “SPF/DKIM/DMARC failed” banners.
- Not auto-flagged as suspicious by your mail client.
7) Verify Safely (never via email links)
- Open the website/app yourself from a saved bookmark or by typing the address.
- Call/message the sender using a known number/channel (not the email’s number/link).
- For payment/bank-detail changes: perform a voice check with your contact.
8) If Suspicious
- Do not click. Do not reply. Do not forward (except to IT/security).
- Use “Report phishing” in your mail app, then delete.
- If you clicked or entered details: change password, enable MFA, notify IT/bank, run a malware scan.
- Optional: forward a copy to reportphishing@apwg.org or report at Scamwatch (ACCC).
9) One-Minute Flow (print-friendly)
- Expecting? → From these people? → Account exists?\
- Check From + Reply-To domain → Hover every link → Attachment type safe?\
- Read tone/grammar/branding → Client banners OK?\
- Verify via bookmark/known number → If doubt, report and delete.
Notes for Admins (optional)
- Add your internal report address here: security@yourdomain.tld\
- Add your policy page link here: Email Security Policy\
- Train users to screenshot headers when reporting.
Extra Guidance
Phishing can (and does) originate from every country and from generic TLDs (.com, .net, .xyz, .top, etc.). If you still want a country→URL code map for filtering/awareness, use this rule plus the few exceptions below.
clt_email_legitimacy_checklist.1760650653.txt.gz · Last modified: by thesaint