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Learn about the top 10 brands most impersonated by phishing actors in this regularly updated article.
Try to think about how many times a day you receive emails from trusted brands. Whether it’s Google, Amazon, or Microsoft, account verification, promotions, and communications are constantly filtering into your inbox. The daily chore of email has made us skimmers, leaving us to absent-mindedly scroll through our emails, glance at messages, and click on links. But your clicks aren’t as safe as you might think.
One of the most common methods cybercriminals use in phishing attacks is impersonating trusted brands. Since 2020 we’ve seen a 360% increase in brand impersonation. Not only are these attacks easy to orchestrate, they’re easy to fall for. Research from Graphus states that 97% of people cannot recognize a sophisticated phishing attack, and 1 in 3 people are likely to click on a phishing link. With this in mind, it becomes increasingly important to be aware of the methods cybercriminals are using to deceive us. The Top 10 Brands Most Impersonated serve as a reminder for all internet users to exercise extra caution when engaging with communications from specific brands because you never know what might be concealed behind a link.
According to recent research from Check Point Cybersecurity the Q3 2023 standing for the top 10 brands most impersonated for all phishing attempts are as follows:
| Brand | Percentage of All Phishing Attacks | Estimated Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Walmart | 39% | 1.36 B Emails Daily |
| Microsoft | 14% | 476 M Emails Daily |
| Wells Fargo | 8% | 272 M Emails Daily |
| 4% | 136 M Emails Daily | |
| Amazon | 4% | 136 M Emails Daily |
| Apple | 2% | 86 M Emails Daily |
| Home Depot | 2% | 86 M Emails Daily |
| 2% | 86 M Emails Daily | |
| Mastercard | 1% | 34 M Emails Daily |
| Netflix | 1% | 34 M Emails Daily |
The top 10 most impersonated brands are important for everyone to look out for when using email or other communications. But phishing attacks have many forms and the way that individuals are targeted is different from the way businesses and industries are targeted. Phishing doesn’t discriminate, no matter what industry you work in or are associated with you’re at risk.
| Industry | Percentage of All Phishing Attacks |
|---|---|
| Financial Institutions | 27.70% |
| Software-as-a-Service | 17.70% |
| Other | 18.20% |
| Social Media Providers | 10.40% |
| Logistics / Shipping | 9% |
| Payment Services | 6% |
| eCommerce / Retail | 5.60% |
| Telecom | 3.10% |
| Cryptocurrency | 2.30% |
Honorable mentions include healthcare and education. Healthcare organizations average 1,462 cyberattacks per week, and one third of people associated with educational institutions have fallen for phishing attacks.
Awareness is key, and staying one step ahead of cybercriminals by knowing where they attack is a great first step to protecting yourself in the online world. But, what happens when you’re not paying attention? The online world has made us skimmers and quick clickers, and it’s only a matter of time before you fall into a scammer’s trap. When that time comes let Whag have your back. Whag’s mission is to create a more secure and trustworthy internet for all. Whag’s Verified Links are secure, authenticated URLs that are each equipped with a unique signature tied to a verified human. When you click Whag links you can click confidently, knowing exactly where each link is coming from, and where it’s going. Make it easy for your contacts to distinguish a good link from a bad one. Click with certainty, click Whag.
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