Identifying and Staying Safe from Phishing Emails

Phishing emails are fraudulent messages that pretend to be from a company or person you trust, designed to trick you into sharing personal details or visiting a fake website. This article is for anyone using Titan Mail. After reading it, you'll be able to spot the warning signs of a phishing email, report one to Titan, and understand what Titan's automatic warning banners mean.

In this article, you'll learn how to:

• Identify a phishing email
• Report a phishing email to Titan
• Understand Titan's yellow and red warning banners
• Take steps to stay safe from phishing going forward

What Are Phishing Emails?

Phishing emails look like legitimate messages from companies or people you trust, but they're actually sent by online scammers. These emails typically ask you for personal details, like passwords or card numbers, or direct you to fake websites designed to steal your information.

How to Identify Phishing Emails

Look out for the following signs before you click, reply, or download anything.

1. Check who sent the email. If the email claims to be from a well-known company, check that the sender's address matches that company's real domain exactly. Watch for addresses that look slightly wrong.

   Example: "rewards@amaz0n.com" is not from Amazon—the letter "o" has been replaced with the number "0".

    

2. Read the email carefully. Look for spelling mistakes, references that don't apply to you, or language that pressures you to act immediately. Offers that seem too good to be true usually are.

   Example: "URGENT: Your subscription is expiring soon! Click the link below to renew now and avoid losing your benefits."

    

3. Hover over links before clicking. Move your mouse over any link (without clicking) to see the real web address it leads to. If it looks different from the company's usual address, don't click it.

   Example: A link that claims to go to your bank’s website but actually points to "morganstanleysecure-login.com" is not the bank’s real domain.

    

4. Don't open unexpected attachments. Files from emails you weren't expecting can contain malicious software (malware), even if the sender's name looks familiar.

How to Report Phishing Emails

If you spot a phishing email in your Titan Mail inbox, report it in a few clicks:

1. In your inbox, open the email you suspect is phishing.

   

2. Click the (three dots) icon at the top of the email to view more actions.

   

3. Select Report phishing.

   

You'll see a confirmation message once the report is submitted. Titan reviews reported emails to help keep every user's inbox safer.

Warning Banners for Authentication-Failed Messages

Titan automatically checks incoming email for signs of spoofing (when someone fakes the sender's address to look legitimate) and shows a banner at the top of the message when something looks off.

Yellow Banner — Use Caution

A yellow banner means Titan couldn't verify the email's authenticity. This doesn't necessarily mean the email is malicious, but you should:

• Verify the sender's identity through another channel if you're unsure
• Review the email content carefully before acting on it
• Avoid replying with sensitive information or downloading attachments until you're confident it's safe

Red Banner — Likely Phishing

A red banner is a stronger warning that identifies the email as potentially phishing. If you see a red banner:

• Don't click any links or download attachments
• Don't reply with personal or account information
• Report Phishing or Mark as Suspicious using the steps above

How to Stay Safe from Phishing Emails

Keep an eye on these three things in every email you weren't expecting:

• Sender email address: Confirm it matches the organization's official domain exactly.
• Links: Hover over any link before clicking, and be cautious of shortened or unfamiliar URLs.
• Urgency: Phishing emails often pressure you to act immediately. Slow down and evaluate before responding.

You're Now Protected

You should now be able to recognize the common warning signs of a phishing email, report suspicious messages directly from your inbox, and understand what Titan's yellow and red banners mean. With 2FA enabled, your account has an extra layer of protection even if a password is ever exposed.

Troubleshooting

Problem: I clicked a phishing link or entered my Titan password on a suspicious site.

Cause: The link led to a fake login page designed to capture your credentials.

Fix: 

1. Change your Titan Mail password immediately from your account settings.
2. Turn on Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) if you haven't already.
3. Report the phishing email using the steps in How to Report Phishing Emails.

Problem: I reported an email as phishing but I'm still receiving similar emails.

Cause: Scammers often send phishing emails from many different addresses, so blocking or reporting one doesn't stop all future attempts.

Fix: Continue reporting each suspicious email as it arrives. Titan uses these reports to improve detection for all users over time.