Spear Phishing in Action

Unlike traditional phishing scams that are usually sent at random from an aggregated list, spear phishing targets specific people. In this attack, the scammer researches the target to gather as much information as possible, such as place of work, job title, and any personal details available to the public. They then use this information to gain and abuse the victim’s trust, sometimes posing as a co-worker, friend, or even law enforcement.

Below is an example of what a spear phishing email might look like. How would you know this was a scam?