Phishing remains the top cyber threat in 2025. 57% of businesses face phishing scams on a daily or weekly basis, despite phishing emails accounting for only 1.2% of total email traffic. Phishing and other types of email fraud rely on human error for success and are often a gateway for ransomware attacks. The resulting data breaches can cost companies millions of dollars and damage their reputation. What are these threats, and how can you protect your business from a costly data breach? Here are the five most common email scams that prey on small businesses:

1. Spear Phishing

Spear phishing targets specific employees, like the finance team, into sharing sensitive information or transferring company funds. These emails are more personal than a regular phishing email and typically impersonate someone within the company, such as a coworker or boss.

2. Whaling

Whaling is a type of spear phishing that targets individuals who are higher up in a company, "big fish," such as a CEO or business owner. Scammers prey on the victim's authority, access, and trust to bypass security measures to gain access to sensitive data or money.

3. Fake Invoicing

Fraudsters send fake invoices that appear to be for products or services your business regularly uses from businesses that your company regularly works with, such as vendors or suppliers.

4. Fake SEO Experts

Fake “SEO experts” will try to tempt you with a comprehensive proposal to boost your Google ranking for an exorbitant price. The scammers typically do one or more of the following: take payment without providing the services they claim to sell, steal your payment information, provide services for a short period of time, but continue to charge you for a long period of time after services have ceased, or threaten "SEO assault" if you attempt to cancel payments.

5. Fake Charity Solicitations

Scammers will impersonate a legitimate charity to solicit your company for money. These scams prey on your company's goodwill to give back to your local community.

How do you avoid falling victim to these scams? Take the following steps to protect your business:

• Educate your employees on how to spot fakes and cybersecurity best practices
• Use an email filter to detect potential scam emails
• Enable multi-factor authentication
• Verify all invoices and payments
• Limit access to sensitive data and company funds based on role

Cybercriminals are getting smarter, but so can your business. By training your team, tightening up your systems, and staying vigilant, you can reduce the risk of falling for these scams. Protecting your business from phishing and email fraud isn’t just about security; it’s about safeguarding your hard work, your reputation, and your bottom line. Stay alert, stay informed, and keep your business one step ahead.