Phishing - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Phishing is a type of online scam where criminals impersonate legitimate organizations to trick people into revealing sensitive information like passwords or credit card details.
Definition:
Fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information by disguising as a trustworthy entity.
Synonyms:
scamming, spoofing, fraud, cybercrime
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
honesty, transparency
Common Collocations:
phishing email, phishing attack, phishing scam, phishing website
Derivatives:
phisher, phishy
Usage Tips:
Use "phishing" to describe online scams; avoid confusing it with "fishing."
Common Phrases:
spear phishing, whaling attack, clone phishing
Etymology:
Derived from "fishing," metaphorically luring victims like fish; first recorded in the 1990s.
Examples:
- 1. She received a phishing email asking for her bank details.
- 2. Phishing scams often mimic legitimate companies to trick users.
- 3. Never click on links in suspicious messages to avoid phishing attacks.
- 4. The company trained employees to recognize phishing attempts.