Watch For These Phishing Keywords

Invoice

Examples of subject lines:

1. Re: Invoice
2. Missing Inv ####; From [Legitimate Business Name]
3. INV ####

New

Examples of subject lines:

1. New Message from ####
2. New Scanned Fax Doc-Delivery for ####
3. New FaxTransmission from ####

Message

Examples of subject lines:

1. Message From ####
2. You have a New Message
3. Telephone Message for ####

Required

Examples of subject lines:

1. Verification Required!
2. Action Required: Expiration Notice on [business email address]
3. [Action Required] Password Expire
4. Attention Required. Support ID: ####

<Blank Subject>

Blank subject lines are often used by cybercriminals to help evade any automated security measures that are in place. The thought behind this is that if there isn’t any subject line, then the security technology can’t flag it for any phishing or spam keywords.

File

Examples of subject lines:

1. You have a Google Drive File Shared
2. [Name] sent you some files
3. File- ####
4. [Business Name] Sales Project Files and Request for Quote

Request

Examples of subject lines:

1. [Business Name] SALES PROJECT FILES AND REQUEST FOR QUOTE
2. [Business Name] – W-9 Form Request
3. Your Service Request ####
4. Request Notification: ####

Action

Example of subject lines:

1. Action Required: Expiration Notice on [business email address]
2. Action Required: [Date]
3. Action Required: Review Message sent on [Date]
4. [Action Required] Password Expire

Document

Example of subject lines:

1. File Document ####
2. [Name], You have received a new document in [Company system]
3. Attn: [Name] – You have an important [Business name] designated Document
4. Document For [business email address]
5. View Attached Documents
6. [Name] shared a document with you

Verification

Example of subject line:

1. Verification Required!

eFax

Example of subject lines:

1. eFax from ID: ####
2. eFax message from “[phone number]” – 2 page(s), Caller-ID: +[phone number]

VM

Example of subject lines:

1. VM from [phone number] to Ext. ### on Tuesday, May 4, 2021
2. VM From ****#### Received – for <[user name]> July 26, 2021
3. ‘”””1 VMAIL RECEIVED on Monday, June 21, 2021 3:02:55 PM””

Source: https://expel.io/blog/top-phishing-keywords/