phishing attempt
/ˈfɪʃɪŋ əˈtɛmpt/
CommonA fake message designed to trick you into giving up personal info or clicking a malicious link.
Can be used literally for actual cyber threats, or sarcastically for obviously manipulative social situations.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | that email from 'apple support' was definitely a phishing attempt | The email impersonating Apple was fake and trying to steal account info. | reddit, 2023 |
| 02 | my mom almost clicked a phishing attempt that looked exactly like her bank | A convincing fake email almost tricked a family member into giving up banking credentials. | x, 2024 |
| 03 | this text asking for my SSN is literally a phishing attempt | An unsolicited text requesting a Social Security Number is a fraud attempt. | x, 2023 |
| 04 | asking me who i texted last night is a phishing attempt bestie | The question feels like an attempt to extract information suspiciously. | tiktok, 2024 |
Use it when
- You receive a suspicious email or text asking for login credentials or personal info.
- A message impersonates a bank, service, or brand to steal information.
- Someone in real life uses manipulation tactics to extract information.
- Sarcastically, when someone asks a suspiciously pointed question.
Do not use it when
- You mean a general scam not involving identity theft or credential harvesting.Use “scam-likely” instead.
- Someone is just being annoying or spammy without deception.Use “spam-risk” instead.
Origin and context
From the hacker community in the mid-1990s. The 'ph' spelling is a nod to phone phreaking culture. The term describes casting bait and waiting for victims to bite, like fishing.
- First seen
- 1990s
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/phishing-attemptUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0