What to Do if You Clicked a Phishing Link
It happens to careful people. You clicked a link, and then realised it was not what you expected. The important thing is to act quickly and calmly. Many outcomes depend on what you did after the click.
If you only clicked
If the page opened but you did not enter anything or download anything, close it. Most pages cannot harm your device by simply loading. Run a security scan if you are unsure and keep your software updated.
If you entered a password
- Change that password immediately on the real site.
- Change it anywhere else you used the same one.
- Turn on two-factor authentication.
- Check account activity, forwarding rules and recovery settings.
- Sign out of all other devices if the service lets you.
If you entered payment details
Contact your bank or card issuer straight away, tell them what happened and ask them to block the card and monitor the account.
If you downloaded a file
Disconnect from the internet, run a full scan with trusted security software and avoid opening the file. If the device is used for work, tell your IT team. If problems persist, consider a factory reset after backing up important files.
If you shared personal information
Watch for follow-up scams, consider a credit freeze where available and monitor your accounts for unusual activity.
Report it
Report the message to your email provider and to the organisation being impersonated. Reports help block the scam for others.
