How-To

How to Report Phishing Emails in Microsoft Outlook

By Brian Burgess

Published March 29, 2024

If you receive a phishing email, it can help others if you report it. Here’s how to report phishing emails in Microsoft Outlook.

If you are using the Microsoft Outlook app (or web version), there are times when you may need to report phishing emails. If you suspect an email in your inbox is masquerading as a legitimate message to steal personal data, reporting it can help others not fall victim to attacks.

A phishing email is a social engineering attack designed to get you to enter personal data like usernames, passwords, credit card info, and other personal data.

Instead of just marking a message as junk, reporting a phishing email helps the system understand suspicious emails. So, in this guide, we’ll show you how to report them in Microsoft Outlook.

What is Email Phishing?

Phishing emails attempt to trick the recipient into providing sensitive information such as login credentials, financial information, and other personal information by appearing as a trustworthy entity.

For example, you might get a message that appears to come from your bank. It wants you to click a link that brings you to a nefarious site that looks legit. Once you enter your login credentials or other personal details, the bad actors can use them to log into your account.

Phishing emails vary in sophistication. Some are easily recognizable with misspelled text or obviously knocked-off company logos. However, some seem more legitimate at first glance, and further study is necessary. For instance, the address in the “From” field often isn’t legitimate.

The bottom line: If you aren’t expecting an email from a company or government agency, don’t even open the message and get rid of it. Also, when in doubt, never click a link in an email. Open a browser, go directly to the known and trusted URL, and manage your affairs. But you should also report phishing emails.

Why Report Phishing Email?

Reporting phishing attempts instead of just deleting them or marking them as spam has a clear benefit. When you report email phishing, it helps Microsoft take the required action to protect you and others from the attack.

How to Report Email Phishing in Outlook

Launch the Outlook app on your desktop or open a browser and sign into the web version of Outlook.

1. Select the suspicious email without clicking any internal links.
2. Click the dropdown arrow next to the Report button and click Report phishing.
3. Click the OK button when the Report phishing verification message appears.
4. Alternatively, right-click an email, select Report > Report phishing, and click OK on the verification message.

Report Phishing Emails on Outlook Mobile

If you use the Outlook app on iPhone or Android, you can report email phishing using the following steps.

1. Launch the Outlook app on your phone or tablet.
2. Open the email you suspect is phishing and tap the Options (three-dot) button at the top.
3. Tap the Report Junk option from the menu that appears on the screen.
4. Tap the Phishing option when the second menu appears on the screen.
5. Select the Report button when the verification message appears and confirm.

Report Email Phishing in Outlook

If you receive a suspicious email and know it’s phishing, or even if you suspect it, reporting email phishing in Outlook is straightforward using the above steps.

Remember that your bank, the Internal Revenue Service, fintech companies, PayPal, Amazon, Apple, etc., will not send you unsolicited emails asking you to confirm your credentials out of the blue.

You can expect such emails when logging in from an untrusted device, changing your password, or if someone else tries to change your password. But as previously noted, go to the site and verify your data — don’t blindly click links in unexpected emails.

If you detect a phishing email in Outlook, it’s a good practice to report it for your own peace of mind and that of others.