365 Technologies: Blog

Phishing Trends in 2026

michael@365tech.ca|Jun 16, 2026
phishing trends in 2026

Phishing used to be pretty easy to spot. Broken English, suspicious sender addresses and the obvious fake logos... that's all over now.

In 2026, scam messages that we're receiving in Canada are polished, personalized, and timed to hit you when you're most likely to act without thinking. In 2025, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre logged over 112,000 fraud reports and more than $704 million in losses. Keep in mind too, experts estimate that only 5-10% of fraud is even reported so that number is actually much larger.

This post is going to break down how phishing works today, what still gives it away and what to do if you or someone on your team falls for one (we're all human, we get it).

Why Old Advice Doesn't Work Anymore

For so may years, the standard advice was telling you to watch for typos, broken grammar and poor formatting. Now, attackers are using AI to produce messages in fluent English and French, with accurate branding, correct logos, and much more natural phrasing. A clean-looking email is no longer evidence that it's legitimate.

Some new red flags to watch for:

  • Was the message unexpected?
  • Does it create a big urgency or pressure to take action fast?
  • Does it ask you to confirm credentials, move money, or act outside your normal role?
  • Does their sender address accurately match the organization it claims to be?

You'll notice these new flags are more behavioural than they are cosmetic. No amount of AI can change the underlying reality that a legitimate bank doesn't text you a  login link, and the CRA doesn't send e-transfers.

Top Three Ways Phishing Can Reach You

1. Email
Still the most common method and often comes as fake invoices, bank security alerts or parcel fee notices. The goal is always the same: to get you to a fake login page or into a payment you didn't authorize. If you weren't expecting a message like this, the best you can do is go straight to the hypothetical source. Visit your online bank directly and login to check for a message. Reach out to the contact that sent you that invoice.

2. Smishing (SMS Phishing)
Text messaging often feels more personal and urgent. The screen is also small enough to hide suspicious links. Common Canadian lures include fake CRA refund notices, Canada Post delivery fees, Interac e-Transfer alerts... do NOT tap links in texts. Instead, open the official app or type the address yourself.

3. Vishing (Voice/Phone Scams)
Phone-based scams are gaining in popularity and truly apply the most stress and pressure. Many use AI-cloned voices that can convincingly impersonate a bank agent, government official... even a close family member or friend. If you get an unexpected call asking for money, or some sort of code, hang up immediately.

What to Do If It Happens

Speed matters. Acting within minutes or hours, not days, is what limits the damage.

  • Report to your IT team or IT provider immediately if it happens on your work device
  • Change the exposed password immediately, and any other accounts that use the same one (that's another topic for another time!)
  • If personal, place a fraud alert with Equifax and TransUnion if your personal information was compromised

This is a Trainable Issue

Most successful breaches happen not by beating your firewall, they beat a person. This is not meant as a criticism, these attacks are carefully engineered to exploit human emotion and trust. This also means that the most effective defence isn't a piece of software, it's a team who knows what to look for.

Security Awareness Training (SAT) is how organizations build that capability. When employees go through regular training and simulations, they develop the habit of pausing before they act... the pause is exactly what these attacks are designed to prevent.

If you'd like to learn more about what these training sessions look like and how they can build your best line of defence, fill out the form below and we'd love to chat.

michael@365tech.ca