{"id":17610,"date":"2026-02-12T15:34:35","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T15:34:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/?p=17610"},"modified":"2026-02-12T15:34:36","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T15:34:36","slug":"phishing-why-trusting-your-gut-matters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/phishing-why-trusting-your-gut-matters\/","title":{"rendered":"Phishing: Why trusting your gut matters"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/category\/money-matters\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Money Matters<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPhishing: Why trusting your gut matters\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-02-12T15:34:35+00:00\">12 February, 2026<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"Phishing: Why trusting your gut matters\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/phishing-why-trusting-your-gut-matters\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/author\/keirthomasbryant\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/04\/Keir-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Keir Thomas-Bryant\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/04\/Keir-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/04\/Keir.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Keir Thomas-Bryant<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>You might think <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/improve-cyber-security-small-business\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cyber security<\/a> is a sophisticated cat and mouse game between criminals and IT professionals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hackers sit hunched in dark rooms, staring at screens of green text and trying to penetrate the latest defences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But that\u2019s no longer true for the vast majority of cybercrime. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At an epidemic level, criminals are targeting people. That means you, your colleagues, your family, and your friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>95% of all successful cyberattacks have a human element involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What can be done? Put simply, you need to trust your gut so that, when phishing is attempted, you know instinctively something isn\u2019t right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting to that point involves understanding the threat, and how to respond. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s what this article is about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-standard-font-size\"><strong>Here\u2019s what we&#8217;ll cover:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#h-businesses-are-ripe-for-phishing\" data-level=\"2\">Businesses are ripe for phishing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-is-phishing\" data-level=\"2\">What is phishing?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-why-phishing-is-so-effective\" data-level=\"2\">Why phishing is so effective<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-a-phishing-scam-looks-like\" data-level=\"2\">What a phishing scam looks like<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-advice-for-avoiding-phishing-scams-for-business\" data-level=\"2\">Advice for avoiding phishing scams for business<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-businesses-are-ripe-for-phishing\">Businesses are ripe for phishing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Phishing is a priority risk highlighted by Ireland\u2019s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau, which run public campaigns focused on phishing and ransomware each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Ireland, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.centralbank.ie\/statistics\/data-and-analysis\/payment-fraud-statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Central Bank of Ireland\u2019s Payment Fraud Statistics<\/a> reported \u20ac160 million in fraudulent payments in 2024, with online transactions accounting for over three\u2011quarters (77.4%) of total fraud value. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While this dataset covers payment fraud overall (not just phishing), phishing and social\u2011engineering are recognised entry points for many of these losses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Official guidance from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsc.gov.ie\/pdfs\/NCSC_Quick_Guide_Phishing.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)<\/a> consistently identifies phishing as one of the most common threats facing organisations and the public, and provides specific anti\u2011phishing guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The NCSC (CSIRT\u2011IE) provides incident response to government and critical\u2011infrastructure operators and offers public guidance and contact details, but the public should report crimes to Garda\u00ed in the first instance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Irish authorities emphasise prompt reporting to Garda\u00ed and your bank to improve outcomes and disrupt scams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-phishing\">What is phishing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Phishing is best understood as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/get-savvy-social-engineering\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">social engineering<\/a>: criminals manipulate you into doing something you wouldn\u2019t choose to do otherwise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This might be clicking a link, opening an attachment, sharing a password, providing a one-time authentication code, or moving money out of your account and into that of the scammer. Often it\u2019s all of these!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Phishing attempts can arrive by text, social media messaging, emails, or even actual physical letters that arrive at your address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You might think you would never fall for anything like this. After all, you\u2019re nobody\u2019s fool, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bpfi.ie\/publications\/fraudsmart-social-engineering-survey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">BPFI FraudSMART <\/a>research (banking industry initiative) found 78% of Irish adults are targeted with scam texts\/emails\/calls at least monthly, underscoring the scale of social\u2011engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Phishing relies on your belief that the message comes from someone you trust. That familiar branding is weaponised to lower your guard:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A friend texting you having lost their mobile.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your boss messaging you on WhatsApp, having setup a new account. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your bank calling you out of the blue to say your account has been hacked. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Microsoft emailing to say your computer needs a vital security update.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, phishing is fundamentally an exercise in extremely effective deception, rather than code-breaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Therefore, the most effective defences are human ones: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Slowing down.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Noticing inconsistencies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Listening to that \u201cthis feels off\u201d sensation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-phishing-is-so-effective\">Why phishing is so effective<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Phishing isn\u2019t new. It\u2019s been around since the mid-1990s, when scams like AOHell targeted AOL users by impersonating staff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s when it got its name \u2013 it took the <em>ph-<\/em> prefix from an earlier form of cybercrime known as phreaking, where hackers targeted the telephone infrastructure to get free calls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The goal back in the mid-1990s was to harvest login passwords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s changed since isn\u2019t the psychology, but the scale and polish: spoofed websites involving flawless copycat branding, urgent pretexts, and \u2013 increasingly nowadays \u2013 AI-generated voice, text, images, or even video (including live video calls). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These are known as deepfakes, and scammers are always quick to exploit the very latest technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The site they send you to will look exactly like your bank. The voicemail message you get will sound exactly like your colleague, family member or friend. The text message will seem to authentically have come from your bank, with the correct spoofed name or number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes the scammers won\u2019t request money directly but will request you buy online gift cards, and share the codes with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the core pitch is the same, and has been since those AOL days: \u201cAct now before something bad happens.\u201d Recognising that pattern is half the battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-a-phishing-scam-looks-like\">What a phishing scam looks like<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s a real-world, worked through example of what a phishing attempt on a business looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-the-phishing-hook\">1. The phishing hook<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You get a text claiming to be from your business banking: \u201cWe\u2019ve detected a suspicious payment. To secure your account, confirm here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s a link that looks right at a glance (e.g. santander-secure-bank.net).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moments later, your phone rings. Caller ID displays your bank\u2019s name. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The caller calmly references the text and quotes a \u201ccase ID.\u201d They may even tell you some personal details like your address or date of birth \u2013 all harvested from vast hacker databases that are easily accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-applying-the-pressure\">2. Applying the pressure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The caller says funds are moving right now, and they need to \u201csecure\u201d your account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They may steer you to a very professional login page that\u2019s a perfect clone of the bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you login, your phone pings \u2013 even though you\u2019re still on the phone to the \u201cbank\u201d \u2013 and you find a one-time passcode has arrived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019re asked to read it out to them, \u201cto verify security\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alternatively, you might be asked simply to login to your banking using your usual link or app, and transfer money to a special \u201cholding account\u201d where it\u2019ll be \u201csecure\u201d until the bank can fix the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-the-compromise\">3. The compromise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you enter credentials on the fake site, they\u2019re captured instantly. If you read out a passcode (or approve a push notification) the scammers use it in real time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And just like that, they have control of your bank account. It\u2019s that easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you transfer money yourself from your bank account to the scammer\u2019s account, that\u2019s authorised push payment (APP) fraud. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is where victims are manipulated into sending funds and it\u2019s easily one of the Ireland\u2019s most prevalent types of fraud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-the-exit\">4. The exit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The caller \u201cends the case\u201d and thanks you for your vigilance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You hang-up and wipe a little sweat from your brow. Wow, that was close. Glad it\u2019s sorted, though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Minutes or hours later you see unauthorised transactions, or find that the \u201csafe\u201d account was the criminal\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Needless to say, if this happens in real life then you should call your bank immediately. Keep reading to find out how to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-you-could-ve-done\">What you could\u2019ve done<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The right move at the first sign of doubt \u2013 that feeling in your gut that something isn\u2019t quite right \u2013 is to disconnect and contact your bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ideally, call from a separate phone from the one you were called on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Scammers can keep the line open on landlines, for example, making you think you\u2019ve hung up when you haven\u2019t. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They even play fake dial tones to make you think the line is free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Ireland, suspicious emails or texts should be reported to your bank, email provider, or An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although this won\u2019t provide instant feedback, it can help authorities close down the scammer accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-advice-for-avoiding-phishing-scams-for-business\">Advice for avoiding phishing scams for business<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s some tips for keeping yourself and your business safe from phishing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Pause for thought<\/strong>: Urgency is a red flag. If it\u2019s really your bank, it\u2019ll still be true after a five-minute pause while you verify through your app or by dialling 159.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Channel switch to verify<\/strong>: Don\u2019t reply. Don\u2019t click their link. To investigate, use a trusted route you ordinarily use, such as your banking app, your usual online baking bookmark, or the bank\u2019s official phone number (e.g. the one on the back of debit and credit cards \u2013&nbsp;but definitely not the one in the email you might\u2019ve received!). <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Never, ever share a one-time passcode<\/strong>: One-time passcodes you receive through text messages or retrieve from an authenticator app should never, ever be shared \u2013 or even spoken aloud! It\u2019s a prime way scammers authorise their frauds. If someone\u2019s asking for one, stop. Nobody legitimate would ever do so. Similarly, if you get an authentication request out of the blue then don\u2019t approve it. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Ensure you and your colleagues are educated with guidance from Ireland\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsc.gov.ie\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)<\/a>, including practical resources for organisations and SMEs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s an excellent and accessible resource.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But above all, never forget: We are all equipped with gut feelings, and when we listen they are a powerful defence mechanism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final thoughts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The online world is an amazing place, but increasingly, it\u2019s a wild-west frontier where scammers exploit victims on a minute-by-minute basis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Staying vigilant is key and, while this shouldn\u2019t get in the way of your online activities, it should always be present.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Join 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-53abbdcc-410c-4c8c-bf97-ca5c6982eebd\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"999\" height=\"666\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/04\/z.5E3A0481_All-Uses.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/04\/z.5E3A0481_All-Uses.jpg 999w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Phishing remains the most prevalent cyber threat targeting businesses. Trusting your instincts and staying vigilant are key defenses. Education can help prevent falling victim to these scams, as we discuss in this blog<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":280,"featured_media":8138,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[163],"tags":[],"business_type":[],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[],"imagine_tag":[],"coauthors":[393],"class_list":["post-17610","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-money-matters"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Keir Thomas-Bryant","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1205070587.jpg","imagine_tags":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17610","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/280"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17610"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17610\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/8138"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17610"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17610"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17610"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=17610"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=17610"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=17610"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=17610"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=17610"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=17610"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=17610"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}