phishing

/ ˈfɪʃɪŋ /

noun

1. the practice of using fraudulent e-mails and copies of legitimate websites to extract financial data from computer users for purposes of identity theft

Word History and Origins

Origin of phishing¹

C21: from fishing in the sense of catching the unwary by offering bait; computer-hacker slang often replaces f with ph

Example Sentences

I wrote a piece in 2011 that was used in what appeared to be an Iranian spear phishing attack.

From The Daily Beast

The Chinese also are known for something called “spear phishing.”

From The Daily Beast

This technique, known as “spear phishing,” is a favored tactic of organized crime.

From The Daily Beast

China was recently accused of using spear phishing to spy on activists associated with the Dalai Lama.

From The Daily Beast

One challenge is that this isn't a virus or a hacker attack—it's just a phishing scam, an attempt to trick people.

From The Daily Beast