PrivadoProtect

How Phishing Attacks Really Start

An educational breakdown of the exact steps attackers use before sending a phishing message

Your Location

This is an approximate lookup based on your network IP.

  • Your IP: 216.73.216.114
  • Your Location: Columbus, Ohio, United States
  • Your ISP: Amazon.com, Inc.

Step 1: Breach Exposure Check

Enter your email to see if it appeared in known data breaches. We check against breach databases—your email is not stored.

We check against known breach databases. Your email is not stored.

Step 2: Identity Correlation & Targeted Exploitation

Once an email address appears in a data breach, attackers may attempt to correlate it with other data to build a more complete profile.

This process may involve:

  • Matching emails to public data broker records
  • Cross-referencing past breach datasets
  • Acquiring partial identifiers or leaked records

When data is combined, attackers may craft highly targeted phishing or spoofed messages referencing:

  • Your name or address
  • Services you actually use
  • Urgent or authoritative requests

Even without full information, this can lead to:

  • Account lockouts or password resets
  • Credential-harvesting attempts
  • Malware or fraudulent communications

Step 3: Active Protection, Malware Defense & Privacy Lockdown

Once attackers have your data, they can escalate — installing malware, tracking your activity, and exploiting personal information across multiple platforms. At this stage, prevention is key.

  • 🛡 Enable Identity & Credit Monitoring
    Get real-time alerts if your personal information is misused.
    Protect My Identity
  • 🧬 Activate Malware & Device Protection
    Stop spyware, keyloggers, and credential theft.
    Secure My Devices
  • 👁 Lock Down Privacy & Data Exposure
    Reduce tracking, remove your data from brokers, and protect your personal information.
    Protect My Privacy