Whaling is a type of scam aimed at getting an employee to transfer money or send sensitive information to a hacker acting as a trusted source via email. Whaling is extremely easy to fall for and can result in significant financial losses.
These emails can be difficult to catch because they appear to be harmless, have a normal, friendly tone, and no links or attachments. They will appear to come from a high-level official at the company, typically the CEO or CFO, and often ask you to disclose sensitive information or initiate a wire transfer.
Typical Whaling Signs
- Doppelganger: Whalers may utilize fake email domains that look similar to our domain. Watch out for things like: [EMAIL]@[VARIATION ON COMPANY DOMAIN].
- A Hurried Tone: Whalers will often ask you to send money immediately, stating that they’re busy or in a meeting and can’t do it themselves.
- Email Only: Since whaling relies on impersonating an employee via a fake, yet similar email address, they will ask you not to call with questions and only reply through email.
About Express Employment Professionals
At Express Employment Professionals, we’re in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, employing more than 11 million since its inception. Learn more at ExpressPros.com or ExpressPros.ca.
Last Updated on March 19, 2026
