Don't get tricked by the word new

Let’s talk about phishing emails and the techniques used by cyber criminals to get you to click. Today, I’m going to focus on the subject line.

 

The subject line is super important, and that’s why the bad guys are using it against you. Why is the subject line so important? The subject line is the first and only hint at what the email is about. If you can’t reel ‘em in with the subject line they might never open your email. In fact, the subject line is so important that marketers test different subject lines against each other to see which one will get the most opens.

 

Cyber criminals try to invoke a sense of urgency and emotions to get you to click. That’s why words like ‘URGENT’ and ‘IMPORTANT’ have appeared in their subject lines for years. But now, there’s a new word in the subject line, and that new word is ‘NEW.’

 

THE NEW WORD IS NEW.

 

WHY IS ‘NEW’ SUCH A POWERFUL WORD IN PHISHING EMAILS?

• Legit emails and alerts contain the word ‘new’
• The word ‘new’ raises the reader's interest
• People are drawn to new things in their inbox
• FOMO – people don’t want to miss something important
• The appeal of new is hard-wired into our brains

 

The next time you see the word ‘NEW’ in a subject line, check the rest of that email before you click and make sure it’s not a phish.

 

Do you need some tips on how to spot that phish? I give you some great tips in this recent video.

 

Final thought... Now I know why so many commercials and ads use the terms ‘new‘ and ‘improved’ in them. The search for something different to experience makes you venture out and choose the new and improved over your normal choice.