Phishing Track · Part 2 of 3
Smart people fall for phishing. Here’s why.
Attackers are professionals who study human behavior for a living. This course opens their playbook: how links lie, how campaigns are built, and how Business Email Compromise quietly out-earns ransomware. Builds on Spot the Scam.
- Time~3 hrs
- LevelIntermediate
- FormatCase studies
- FinishCertificate
The brief
What you'll walk away with
- 01Read links like a pro
How web addresses really work, and every trick attackers use to disguise them.
- 02The psychology of the hook
Why phishing works on smart, careful people — and what that means for you.
- 03Phishing beyond email
Text, phone, chat, social media, QR codes: the same con on every channel.
- 04Business Email Compromise
The most expensive attack in the world, and the process changes that stop it.
- 05Verify anything
A repeatable way to check anything suspicious, no matter the channel.
- 06Champion skills
How to protect the people around you, not just yourself.
“Smart people fall for phishing not because they’re careless, but because attackers are professionals who study human behavior for a living.”
Curriculum
Six modules, then the exam
6 modules · 16 lessons · ~3 hrs
Reading Links Like a Pro
Why Phishing Works on Smart People
Phishing Is Bigger Than Email
Business Email Compromise
Becoming a Security Champion
Final Assessment
Statistics and case studies in this course were last reviewed in July 2026.
Who it's for
The next step up
Spot the Scam graduates
Ready to go from recognizing attacks to understanding their mechanics.
Power users
Comfortable with tech, and want to know how the attacks are actually built.
Team leads & managers
BEC targets organizational trust. Understand it before it’s your invoice.
Go deeper
Go under the hood.
Three hours to understand how attacks are built, why they work on smart people, and how to verify anything suspicious. Free, certificate at the end.
Begin Module 1