Outlook: Reporting a Phishing Email with the "Report Message" Button

Summary

This article provides instructions to report a phishing message in Outlook on the Web and the Outlook Desktop app for both Windows and MacOS users.

Important! If you clicked on a link in a phishing message, or if you replied to the email with ANY of your account information, please go to https://myaccount.microsoft.com IMMEDIATELY and change your password. Detailed instructions in MyAccount: Changing Your Password

See below for instructions:

The USNH Phishbowl is also a good resource if you’re unsure whether a message is a phishing attempt and you want to confirm whether it has been reported.  The Phishbowl can be found at: https://www.usnh.edu/it/blog/category/phishbowl

 

Context

When you want to report a phishing email, click the "Report Message > Report Phishing" button in Outlook.  ET&S Cybersecurity will receive your report of a phish along with the mail headers and the message.

 

How-To

Task: To report a phishing message in the Outlook Desktop app for Windows

Instructions

Step 1 - Click the "Report" or "Report Message" button in the Home ribbon (Classic Ribbon view**) in the Outlook Desktop app. You will see options for:

  • Report
    • Report Phishing
    • Report Junk
  • Report Message
    • Junk
    • Phishing
    • Not Junk

report  "Report Message" option in Outlook Home ribbon   

 

Step 2 - Click "Report Phishing" or "Phishing" to notify ET&S Cybersecurity of the phishing message.

Step 3 - If asked, choose whether to notify Microsoft as well. Notifying Microsoft is how they are able to improve their spam/phishing filters. 

**Note: If you do not see the Report Message button in the Home ribbon (Simplified Ribbon view), click the three dots at the right end of the ribbon to find the "Report > Report Phishing" or "Protection > Report Message" option.

report  Protection > Report Message section of Simplified Ribbon in Outlook Desktop on Windows

 

Outcome

Your message has been reported as a phishing message.

Back to top

 

Task: To report a phishing message in the Outlook Desktop app for MacOS

Instructions

Step 1 - Click the Report button in the toolbar at the top of your Desktop app. You will see options for:

  • Report Junk
  • Report Phishing

report message on mac

 

Step 2 - Click Report Phishing to notify ET&S Cybersecurity of the phishing message.

Step 3 - If asked, choose whether to notify Microsoft as well. Notifying Microsoft is how they are able to improve their spam/phishing filters. 

 

Outcome

Your message has been reported as a phishing message.

Back to top

 

Task: To report a phishing message in Outlook on the Web

Instructions

Step 1 - Click the Report button in the Home ribbon in Outlook on the Web (depending on screen size, you may see only the icon without the word).  Under the Report button you will see options for:

  • Report Phishing
  • Report Junk

"Report Message" option in Outlook Home ribbon

 

Step 2 - Click Report Phishing to notify ET&S Cybersecurity of the phishing message.

Step 3 - If asked, choose whether to notify Microsoft as well. Notifying Microsoft is how they are able to improve their spam/phishing filters. 

 

Outcome

Your message has been reported as a phishing message.

Back to top

 

Further Readings

MyAccount: Changing Your Password

USNH Phishbowl - https://www.usnh.edu/it/blog/category/phishbowl 

Outlook: Using the Report Message add-in

 

Need additional help?

For assistance concerning site creation, content sharing, file synchronization, or other common SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, or Office app activities, we recommend our Microsoft 365 Learning sites:

Learn more about the great tools our Microsoft 365 Learning sites offer!

Visit the Technology Help Desk Support page to locate your local campus contact information or to submit an online technology support request.  For password issues you must call or visit the Help Desk in person.  

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