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How to Report a Phishing Email and Block the Sender

Report the phishing message in your email service, then block the sender separately if necessary. Find the Gmail and Outlook.com steps and US reporting options.
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Report a suspicious message using your email provider’s Report phishing control, then block the sender separately if needed. Reporting does not always block future messages: Outlook.com says its phishing report action does not block the sender, while Gmail’s block action sends future messages from that sender to Spam.

What to do first when an email looks like phishing

  1. Don’t reply, click links, or open attachments. If the message claims to come from a service you use, visit its website directly or use its official app instead of following a link in the email. Google advises against entering a password after following a message link. Google’s guidance on identifying and reporting phishing in Gmail explains the provider-specific reporting steps.
  2. Report the message in your email service. Use the service’s phishing-report option rather than only deleting the email. The provider can use the report to handle the message according to its systems.
  3. Block the sender separately if you want to stop future messages reaching your inbox. Check whether reporting also blocks the sender; the behavior differs by service.

How do I report a phishing email in Gmail?

On Gmail desktop, open the suspicious message, select More, then choose Report phishing. Menu placement and labels can differ in Gmail apps and other interfaces. See Google’s Gmail phishing instructions.

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How do I report a phishing email in Outlook.com?

Select the suspicious message, choose Report, then select Report phishing. Microsoft says this reports the sender but does not block further messages. To stop future mail from that sender, add the address to your blocked senders list as a separate step. Follow Microsoft’s instructions for blocking or unblocking senders in Outlook.

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Does reporting phishing block the sender?

Not necessarily. In Outlook.com, reporting phishing is not the same as blocking. Gmail provides a separate block-sender action; messages from a blocked sender are routed to Spam rather than prevented from being sent. See Google’s instructions for blocking or unblocking senders in Gmail.

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Provider controls and menu locations vary across web, desktop, and mobile versions. If your service’s report action does not say that it blocks the sender, use its separate block control or blocked-senders settings.

Where can I forward or report a phishing email in the US?

The FTC advises consumers to forward phishing emails to [email protected] and report the attempt at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. These are additional reporting routes; first use the report control in your email service. The FTC’s phishing guidance also explains how to respond to suspected scams.

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If you use a work or school account, follow your organization’s reporting procedure as well. CISA advises marking suspicious messages as junk and forwarding them to IT staff; Microsoft 365 handling can also depend on administrator settings. See CISA’s phishing infographic and Microsoft’s guidance on user-reported messages.

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What if I clicked a link or shared information?

If an email claims to be from a bank, company, or person you know, verify the claim using a phone number or website you already know is genuine—not contact details or links in the message. If you gave away sensitive personal information, use IdentityTheft.gov for recovery steps tailored to the information exposed. If you entered a password after following a link, go directly to the real service to secure the account; do not use the link in the email.

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What changes for work or school email?

Use the organization’s required reporting route, such as its report button or IT/security contact, rather than assuming a personal-mail process applies. Administrators may control how reports are handled in Microsoft 365. If you are unsure which process your organization uses, ask its IT or security team.

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Quick checklist

  • Do not reply, follow links, or open attachments.
  • Use your provider’s Report phishing control.
  • Block the sender separately if reporting does not do so.
  • For US consumer reporting, forward the email to [email protected] and file a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
  • For a managed account, use your organization’s reporting procedure.
  • If you disclosed sensitive information, follow the recovery guidance at IdentityTheft.gov.

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