Which is a common phishing red flag?

• A. A calendar invite from a trusted domain
• B. Urgent request to click a link from an unfamiliar sender
• C. An email from a known colleague requesting routine information
• D. A password-protected zip file from IT

Answer: (B)

Phishing red flags often hinge on urgency and unfamiliar senders. An urgent request to click a link from someone you don’t recognize is a classic tactic: it pressure-tests your caution and can lead you to a fake login page or malware. The sense of immediacy tricks you into acting before you can assess the message safely.

The other scenarios can be legitimate in real life—for example, a calendar invite from a trusted domain might be genuine, a known colleague asking for routine information could be normal, and a password-protected zip file from IT can be a legitimate secure attachment. Still, it’s always wise to verify anything that feels off, but the screenshot of urgency from an unknown sender is the strongest, most common phishing warning.