New Year, New Email Scams: Tips to Protect Your Business Against Phishing in 2026

As we kick off 2026, cybercriminals are kicking things up a notch, too. Email phishing scams, especially highly targeted spear phishing attacks, are becoming more convincing, more personalized, and harder for busy employees to spot.

The rise of phishing email scams can be especially dangerous for small businesses. One wrong click can expose sensitive financial information, compromise accounts, or even directly drain funds. And because small teams often juggle many tasks at once, scammers know they’re more likely to catch someone off guard.

Here’s what you need to know about how modern phishing attacks work and what your business can do to stay protected.

Why Phishing Still Works in 2026

Cybercriminals aren’t blasting out random emails anymore. Today’s most common attacks—spear phishing—target a specific person inside an organization. Attackers may:

• Browse your company website to learn employees’ names and titles
• Mimic writing styles
• Reference real clients or recent projects
• Impersonate executives or vendors

According to the 2025 Verizon Data Breach Report, phishing attempts succeeded in 35% of attacks last year—a number that keeps rising as criminals refine their tactics.

Common Types of Phishing Scams and How They Work

Phishing attempts usually fall into a few categories:

• Impersonation: Pretending to be a coworker, boss, or vendor
• Account alerts: Claims of suspicious activity on a bank or credit card
• Requests for help: “Are you available for a quick task?”
• Routine business requests: Invoices, direct deposit updates, calendar invites

Some messages try to create urgency (“Your account has been suspended!”), while others feel completely routine (“Please open attached invoice”). Both can be equally dangerous. The moment you click, a scammer can gain entry into your system.

In most phishing attacks, a user clicks on a link in an email and is taken to a web page that looks like a legitimate login page. Once they type in their username and password in the fake login page, the attacker collects their credentials to use (and abuse), and they may even redirect the user to the real website so they don’t notice anything is wrong. Now, the attacker has access to their account.

Other phishing attacks use a link that starts a download to your device when you click. That download might contain ransomware, keyloggers, remote access tools, or spyware that can disrupt operations or access confidential information across all devices on your network.

How to Spot a Phishing Email Scam

Here are a few recent phishing attempts that illustrate how convincing these scams can be—and the red flags that exposed them:

Fake credit card alert

An employee received an email from “Discover” about suspicious activity.

Red flags: She doesn’t have a Discover card, it went to her work email, and hovering over the button revealed a fake URL.

Direct deposit scam

“Mike” emailed payroll asking to update his bank info.

Red flags: The email address was slightly different, and the employee never signs his name “Michael.”

Gift card scam

A message from “the boss” asked, “Are you available for a quick task?” It escalated into a request for 10 $100 iTunes gift cards.

Red flags: Odd phrasing, and gift card requests are nearly always scams—even when the sender references real clients.

Wire transfer request

An email from a supervisor asked for a large, same-day wire transfer.

Red flags: Poor grammar, unusual phrasing, and an amount far larger than the company’s typical transfers.

Fake calendar invite

An invoice “due” was sent as a weeklong calendar event.

Red flags: Unknown attendees and a business the company didn’t use.

7 Tips to Protect Your Business from Phishing Email Scams 

1. Inspect the “From” Email Address

Don’t rely on the name—you must check the actual email address. If something looks off, hit “Reply” (but don’t send) to see what address appears in the “To” field. If it’s not an exact match, stop.

2. Hover Over All Links Before Clicking

Scammers often hide malicious URLs behind buttons. Hover to check the true domain. If in doubt, open a new browser window and go directly to the site instead of clicking the link.

3. Use What You Know About the Sender

Does the message sound like something your coworker would write? Do they normally sign their name this way? If the tone or formatting seems off, trust your instincts.

4. Look for Misspellings and Awkward Language

Phishing emails frequently include odd phrasing, grammar mistakes, or run-on sentences. These red flags are often the easiest way to spot a scam quickly.

5. Verify Anything That Involves Money or Sensitive Information

If you have even a sliver of doubt, confirm in person or by phone using a known number. A 10-second check can prevent a five-figure loss.

6. Practice Strong Password Hygiene

Never reuse passwords between important accounts. Tools like password managers can generate and store secure passwords and prevent you from entering them on spoofed websites.

7. Provide Ongoing Security Training

Regular training keeps employees alert and reduces costly mistakes. Providers like KnowBe4 and Cofense offer ongoing awareness training and even send simulated phishing emails to help teams practice identifying threats.

Stay Vigilant in 2026

Phishing isn’t going away. In fact, it’s getting more sophisticated every year. But with the right training and a culture of caution, your small business can significantly reduce its risk.