Be distrustful of emails with urgent subject lines

There’s a common technique of sending direct mail disguised as courts summons or other official documentation, to make a response more likely. Many phishing emails take basically the exact same approach, only in digital form. That is, they might use all-caps subject lines (e.g., “URGENT:”) to make it seem like action is required. It isn’t. Institutions like banks or government agencies often use conventional mail for some communications, or structure their emails carefully to avoid scare tactics, often with a level of personalization that’s missing from mass phishing emails. If in doubt, do not engage.