phishing
3 synonyms for phishing, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The practice of sending fake emails, texts or web pages that imitate a trusted organisation in order to trick people into handing over passwords, card numbers or other private information.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use phishing
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
phishing email
phishing attack
phishing scam
phishing link
report phishing
Standard term in security, banking and IT; always spelt with ph-.
Etymology
A respelling of 'fishing', on the model of earlier hacker slang such as 'phreaking'; the idea is of baiting a hook and waiting for someone to bite.
Full origin of phishing →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between phishing and spear phishing?
Phishing is sent in bulk to anyone, with generic wording. Spear phishing targets a specific person or company using real details about them, which makes it far more convincing and harder to spot.
How can you tell an email is phishing?
Look for a sender address that does not match the real domain, urgent threats about accounts being closed, links whose true destination differs from the visible text, and requests for credentials or payment. When in doubt, go to the site yourself rather than clicking.
What is the difference between phishing and smishing?
They are the same trick on different channels: phishing arrives by email, smishing by SMS text message, and vishing by voice call.
