Questions To Ask If You Click A Phishing Email

Learn immediate steps to take and questions to ask AI if you've clicked on a phishing email.

We’ve all been there: you receive an email that looks legitimate, and out of curiosity or because it was extremely convincing, you open it only to realize it’s a phishing email. If this happens to you, don't panic. Here are some steps and questions you can use to navigate the situation.

Read Our Guide on Phishing Firstly, check out our comprehensive resource on What is Phishing and How to Spot a Phish. It covers everything you need to know about identifying and dealing with phishing attempts.

Immediate Actions to Take

If you’ve already clicked on a phishing email or opened a suspicious attachment, follow these steps:

Disconnect from the Internet: This helps prevent any further data transmission.
Run a Security Scan: Use antivirus or anti-malware software to scan your device for infections.
Change Your Passwords: Update any passwords you may have entered and consider changing passwords for other critical accounts.
Contact Financial Institutions: If you’ve provided financial information, notify your bank or credit card company immediately.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication: Add an extra layer of security to your accounts.
Monitor Your Accounts: Keep a close eye on your accounts for any unusual activity and report it immediately.

Questions to Ask AI or the Internet

AI can be a powerful tool in such situations, providing quick and helpful tips. Our goal at Cyber Collective is to ensure you feel secure, safe, and confident in your relationship with technology. That’s why we believe it’s important to give you the right tools to leverage the tech resources we have at hand. Our main one is - AI. With that in mind, we’ve put together some prompt questions you can ask whatever AI tool you are using to help you if you’ve clicked a phishing email based on global cybersecurity standards

First, ask your AI to take on the persona of a Director from a trusted organization, such as CISA, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency then ask it the prompt questions listed below. If you’re unsure about which organizations have trusted information about cybersecurity and digital hygiene, here are a few we recommend:

European Union (EU)

European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA):
European Cybercrime Centre (EC3):
CERT-EU (Computer Emergency Response Team for the EU Institutions)

South America

Argentina's National Cybersecurity Directorate
Brazilian National Cyber Defense Center
Chile's Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT)

Africa

Kenya Computer Incident Response Team Coordination Centre (KE-CIRT/CC)
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) - South Africa
National Computer Board (NCB) - Mauritius

East Asia

Japan's National Center of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity (NISC)
Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA)
Singapore's Cyber Security Agency (CSA)

Prompt Questions

What are the immediate steps to take if I’ve clicked on a phishing email?
How can I tell if my device has been infected with malware from a phishing email?
What should I do if I’ve provided personal information in a phishing scam?
How can I secure my accounts after a phishing attack?
What are the best practices to prevent future phishing attempts?