When it comes to spear-phishing, criminals may use a colleague’s hacked account to send you a phishing message.

They might also make the email look as if it comes from within your workplace, or from another trusted source.

There are too many tricks to list here, but like any other scam, the best way of beating them is to be naturally wary.

If a co-worker’s email looks suspicious, take the time to check it’s really them. This goes double if they’re making a strange request, such as asking you to buy gift cards, or log in via a strange link.

If you’re really concerned, raise a query with your boss or IT team. Suspicious employees have stopped many would-be scammers from succeeding.