noun

phishing

phishing

Be careful of phishing emails asking for your password.

Be careful of phishing emails asking for your password.

Phishing is a common form of cybercrime.

Phishing is a common form of cybercrime.

a phishing ((scam/email/attack)) a fraudulent attempt to get information I received a phishing email yesterday.

to be a victim of phishing to have your information stolen online He was a victim of a phishing scam.

Synonyms: scam, fraud, identity theft

A blend of 'fishing' and 'phreaking' (phone hacking). The 'ph' is a common hacker trope, replacing 'f'.

Imagine a criminal 'fishing' for your personal data with a fake email as bait. The 'ph' is a clue it's a tech term.

This page is designed for learning support. Please use it as a learning reference, not as a formal reference.