What is a common characteristic of phishing emails?

Phishing emails often incorporate urgency or fear tactics to prompt quick action from the recipient, which is a key characteristic that makes them effective. By creating a sense of urgency—such as alarming statements that an account will be compromised or an offer available for a limited time—these emails encourage recipients to act quickly without taking the time to think critically about the legitimacy of the message. This tactic exploits human psychology, making individuals more likely to divulge personal information or click on malicious links out of concern or anxiety.

While options like humor, offers of free products, and personal stories may sometimes be present in fraudulent communications, they are not as defining or consistent as the urgency and fear tactics that phishing emails generally employ. These other elements do not convey the same immediacy that drives a recipient to bypass caution, which is the primary mechanism phishing attempts rely on to succeed.