Spotting phishing emails targeting metro Atlanta residents

Phishing is still the #1 everyday attack

CISA’s small-business and consumer guidance keeps returning to the same theme: train people to recognize phishing. Metro Atlanta and Forsyth County residents see the same patterns — fake package alerts, bank warnings, Microsoft/Google “suspicious login” mail, and school-looking messages that are slightly off.

Tell-tale signs

• Urgency: “Account locked in 1 hour”
• Mismatched sender domains (`support@micros0ft-security.com`)
• Generic greetings when the real company uses your name
• Links that preview to a different site than the brand
• Attachments you were not expecting (especially `.html`, `.iso`, or double extensions)
• Poor grammar mixed with official logos

A 10-second pause that saves accounts

1. Hover (desktop) or long-press (mobile) the link — read the real URL.
2. Open the real site by typing it yourself or using a bookmark — not the email link.
3. Call the company using a number from your statement or their official site — not the email.
4. If it claims to be your bank, use the app you already installed from the official store.

Texts and voicemail phishing

Smishing (SMS) and vishing (voice) are rising. “Your car warranty,” “unpaid toll,” and “Amazon refund” texts are common. Do not call numbers embedded in unexpected texts.

Work and school emails

Forsyth employers and school-adjacent accounts are high value because they unlock cloud storage and student data. When in doubt at work, forward to IT — do not “test the link.”

Need hands-on help?

If you already clicked, see our recovery article or contact us quickly so we can limit damage.