Is That Really Microsoft… or a Scam?

Tom Wyant
Aug 4
2 min read

Updated: Oct 6

When you get an email from Microsoft, you probably open it without thinking, right?

After all, Microsoft is one of the biggest and most trusted tech companies out there.

But what if that email isn’t really from Microsoft?

Currently, cybercriminals are impersonating trusted companies, such as Microsoft, to deceive people. In early 2025, 36% of phishing emails that looked like they came from a brand were pretending to be Microsoft.

That’s a big deal.

Google and Apple were next in line. Together, these three companies made up over half of all phishing scams.

So what’s going on? And how can you protect your business?

Let’s break it down.

What is phishing?

Phishing is when a scammer sends a fake email, text, or message that looks like it’s from a real company you trust.

Their goal? To get you to:

Click a dangerous link
Open a harmful file
Or give away private info like passwords or credit card numbers.

Once you fall for it, the damage can be severe: stolen money, hacked accounts, leaked data—and major headaches for your business.

The scary part? These scams are getting better.

Fewer typos
More realistic designs
Logos and websites that look real
Email addresses that seem legit at first glance (like “micros0ft.com”)

Even Mastercard is being faked in some of these scams—tricking people into giving up their credit card info.

So how can you tell what’s real and what’s fake?

Here’s how to protect yourself:

Slow down. Don’t rush to click.
Watch for red flags like pressure to “click now” or “your account will be locked.”
Double-check the sender’s email—scammers often change just one letter to fool you.
Don’t click links in suspicious emails. Instead, open your browser and type the real website address yourself.