Updated: October 28, 2026
Phishing is a scam where someone pretends to be a company you trust, such as your bank, an online store or a government agency, so you type in your password, card details or a verification code. The name comes from "fishing": scammers cast a hook at thousands of people and wait for someone to bite.
How does phishing reach you?
- Email: a message with the company logo and a button to "verify your account".
- Text message (smishing): "Your card has been locked, sign in here".
- WhatsApp and social media: fake prizes, parcel notices or a "family member with a new number".
- Phone call (vishing): someone claiming to be your bank asks for the code you just received.
Common phishing examples
| Message | What they want |
|---|---|
| "Unusual activity, your bank account will be suspended" | Your online banking password |
| "Your package is on hold, pay a small fee" | Your card details |
| "You have a tax refund waiting" | Your tax login or card |
| "Your Netflix/Amazon payment failed" | Your card and account password |
| "Hi Mom, this is my new number" | A money transfer |
How to spot a phishing message
- Urgency: you are given minutes or hours to act.
- A link you did not ask for: it arrives without you starting any process.
- An odd address: the link is not the company's real domain, even if it looks close.
- Requests for codes: no legitimate company asks for the code sent to your phone.
- Small mistakes: typos, blurry logos or generic greetings.
Five habits that keep you safe
- Open your bank only from its app or by typing the address yourself.
- Turn on two-step verification for email and social media.
- Never share a code sent by text, not even with "the bank".
- When in doubt, hang up and call the official number yourself.
- Use a browser with protection against phishing pages.
What Qhawa does
Qhawa checks every page you open in Chrome against public phishing and malware lists that are updated daily, and shows a warning before the page loads if it is a known scam.
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Frequently asked questions
What should I do if I clicked a phishing link?
If you did not type anything, close the page. If you entered a password or card, call your bank to block it and change your passwords from the official app or site.
Does phishing only come by email?
No. Today it is just as common by text message, WhatsApp and phone calls asking for codes.
Does antivirus catch phishing?
Some do, but phishing is often a web page rather than a file. Browser-level protection helps.