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phishing

/ˈfɪʃɪŋ/
/ˈfɪʃɪŋ/
IPA guide

Phishing is a scam in which someone emails a victim intending to trick them into revealing bank numbers, passwords, or other sensitive information. Phishing messages often appear to come from reputable companies.

Phishing is a common cybercrime involving fraudulent messages that look very real. The person receiving the email may believe it's from their bank, for example, asking them to confirm their social security number or credit card details. With this information, the attacker can move to identity theft, installing malware, or stealing money directly from the victim's account. Hackers reportedly started using this term around 1995, influenced by phreak, a slang word for someone who hacks into a phone system.

Definitions of phishing
  1. noun
    the practice of sending deceptive emails to trick internet users into revealing confidential or personal information
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    type of:
    cozenage, scam
    a fraudulent business scheme
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