Treat an unexpected data-breach email or text as unverified. Don’t click its links, open attachments, reply, call numbers in it, or enter information. Instead, contact the named organization through its app, website address, or phone number you already know is genuine. A familiar logo or company name does not prove the message is real.
Warning signs in a breach message
No single visual clue can reliably authenticate a message. Focus on what it asks you to do, then verify the claim through a separate, trusted route.
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- Urgent threats: Be wary of demands to act immediately to avoid account suspension or another consequence. Pressure is a common phishing tactic. The FTC advises consumers to watch for urgent messages designed to prompt a click.
- Links, attachments, or requests for details: A message that asks you to confirm an account, download a file, or provide personal or financial information may expose your data or install malware. Don’t use its link or attachment to investigate.
- Unexpected payment or account-update links: The FTC says legitimate companies won’t unexpectedly email or text a link to update payment or account information. Navigate to the company independently instead. A familiar company name or account story can also be imitated.
- Requests for passwords or verification codes: Do not share a password or one-time code through the message or with someone who contacts you using details it provides. Go to the genuine service yourself if you need to secure an account.
Having an account with the named company does not authenticate the notice. Nor does a polished logo, familiar sender name, or apparent lack of spelling mistakes. A scammer can imitate a brand, and legitimate companies may use email or text. The delivery method alone does not settle whether a message is genuine.
How to check whether the notice is real
- Pause. Don’t click, open, reply, call, or enter information through the unexpected message.
- Find a trusted contact route independently. Open the company’s familiar app, type a website address you have used before, or call a number from a payment card, statement, or saved contact. Don’t use links or phone numbers supplied in the message. The FTC recommends contacting the company directly through a known-good route.
- Ask specific questions. Ask whether the organization sent the notice, what information was involved, what steps it recommends, and where it will publish future updates.
- Compare through that independent route. Check any notice or communication policy you find by signing in or navigating to the organization yourself. Matching branding is not enough; confirmation through the independent channel is what matters.
- If you cannot verify it, don’t follow its instructions. Report the suspected phishing attempt and contact the organization through its known route if its name is being used.
What a genuine breach notice should help you understand
A useful notice should explain what happened, what information was involved, how the organization is responding, what recipients can do, and where to get more information. The FTC’s business guide to data-breach response also recommends explaining how the organization will contact consumers about future updates. Ask for these details when you verify the notice independently.
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This is a general model, not a universal legal checklist for every breach or recipient. Notification obligations depend on the law and circumstances that apply. The organization’s independently confirmed directions should be tailored to the information involved; not every breach calls for the same response.
If you already interacted with the message
You clicked a link or opened an attachment
Update your security software and run a scan for malware, as the FTC recommends in its phishing guidance. If you downloaded a file, avoid opening it again while you assess the device.
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You entered a password or shared a verification code
Go directly to the real service—not through the message—and change the password. Secure the account and review its available security settings. The FTC recommends enabling two-factor authentication, which can make account access harder even if a scammer has your username and password. A FIDO2 security key is one possible second factor for accounts that support hardware keys; check compatibility with the service.
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You shared financial or identity information
Contact the relevant bank or card issuer using a number you know is genuine. For Social Security or other identity information, use IdentityTheft.gov to get a recovery plan. The protective steps depend on what was exposed: the FTC’s breach-response guide discusses options such as fraud alerts or credit freezes when Social Security numbers are involved.
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The organization confirms a real breach
Follow the organization’s independently verified instructions and monitor the specific accounts or information involved. Don’t assume a breach exposed every kind of data or that one response fits every incident.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where to report a suspected phishing message
The FTC lists these reporting routes in its phishing advice:
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- Forward suspicious texts to 7726 (SPAM).
- Forward suspicious email to [email protected].
- Report the attempt at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
After checking and reporting the message, delete it.
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