TL;DR
- Most bad emails can be spotted in under a minute if you know what to look for
- The sender name means nothing. The details matter
- Urgency and pressure are the biggest red flags
- When in doubt, stop and verify using a different method
- A calm pause beats a rushed click every time
Why this matters to your business
Email is still the number one way small businesses get compromised. Not because people are careless, but because attackers are patient, convincing, and good at blending in.
One bad click can lead to:
- Locked files and downtime
- Fraudulent payments or payroll changes
- Data exposure that creates legal and trust issues
- Stressful cleanup that takes days or weeks
The good news is this. Most dangerous emails are not sophisticated hacks. They rely on speed, distraction, and assumptions. A simple habit change can prevent a large percentage of incidents.
This checklist is designed so your team can use it without technical knowledge, without slowing down work, and without second guessing everything they see.
The straight answer
Yes, your team can usually tell if an email is legit in about 60 seconds.
They do not need tools, training courses, or IT jargon. They need a repeatable pause and a few clear checks before clicking, replying, or paying.
If the email fails one or two of these checks, treat it as suspicious until proven otherwise.
The 60-second email checklist
1. Does this email create urgency or pressure?
Examples:
- “Action required immediately”
- “Your account will be locked today”
- “I need this done before my meeting”
Urgency is the most common manipulation tactic. Real businesses give you time or follow up through normal channels.
2. Does the request make sense for this sender?
Ask yourself:
- Would this person normally ask me for this?
- Is this a normal process or a one off exception?
- Is the tone different than usual?
Attackers often impersonate executives, vendors, or payroll contacts and ask for something slightly unusual.
3. Check the sender address, not just the name
Look closely at the email address:
- Misspellings
- Extra letters or numbers
- Lookalike domains
“John Smith” can be anyone. The address tells the real story.
4. Hover over links before clicking
Do not click yet. Hover and look at where the link actually goes.
- Does it match the company website?
- Is it shortened or random looking?
- Does it point somewhere unexpected?
If it looks odd, do not click it.
5. Were you expecting an attachment?
Unexpected attachments are a major risk, especially:
- ZIP files
- HTML files
- “Secure document” messages you did not request
If you were not expecting it, verify first.
Common mistakes we see
- Trusting the display name instead of the email address
- Assuming internal emails are always safe
- Clicking links on a phone where details are harder to see
- Replying instead of verifying through another channel
- Thinking “IT will catch it anyway”
Security tools help, but they are not perfect. Human awareness is still the last and most important line of defense.
What to do next (Actionable Takeaways)
- Share this checklist with your team
Post it in Slack, Teams, or near workstations. Keep it simple and visible. - Create a pause rule
Any email asking for money, credentials, or urgent action gets a 60 second pause. - Verify using a different method
Call, text, or message the sender using known contact info, not the email itself. - Report suspicious emails, do not just delete them
Your IT provider can block similar emails for others once they know. - Practice calm responses
Teach your team that it is okay to slow down. Security mistakes happen when people feel rushed.
What to do if someone already clicked
This matters just as much as prevention.
- Do not panic
- Stop interacting with the email immediately
- Disconnect from Wi-Fi if something installed or opened
- Contact IT right away, faster response means less damage
Early reporting often turns a major incident into a minor cleanup.
When to get help
It is time to involve an IT professional if:
- You see repeated phishing attempts getting through
- Staff are unsure what to report or afraid of getting in trouble
- You handle payments, payroll, or sensitive client data by email
- You want a simple reporting button and better email filtering
- You want training that fits how your business actually works
Good security support should make things clearer and calmer, not more complicated.
Final thought
Most business owners do not need to become security experts. They need clear habits that work under pressure.
A 60 second pause, a few smart checks, and a culture that supports asking questions will stop more attacks than almost any tool.
Calm beats fast. Verification beats assumption. And no email is worth risking your business.
