A cybersecurity case study analyzing a fake job offer email — identifying phishing indicators, domain analysis, and key awareness takeaways.
📄 Phishing Awareness Case Study – Fake Job Offer Email (2025) By: Avasarala Venkata Sangeetha Role: Cybersecurity Enthusiast
🧠 Objective
To analyze a suspicious job offer email, identify phishing indicators, perform domain & infrastructure analysis, and summarize key awareness learnings for safe online practices.
🕵️♀️ Overview
This case study examines a fake job offer email claiming to be from “Dwell Oil Energy Limited.” Through detailed investigation steps, it highlights how cyber attackers use realistic-looking messages and websites to mislead job seekers.
🔍 Analysis Covered
Email header & sender authenticity
Domain investigation using:
ScamAdviser
WHOIS lookup
MXToolbox
Google Safe Browsing
Hosting & DNS trace
Website content evaluation
Detection of hidden or malicious links
🚩 Red Flags Identified
Free Gmail sender instead of corporate domain
Suspicious & newly registered website
Mismatch between claimed company location (USA) and server location (India)
Missing email security records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
HTTP (insecure) phishing link
Request for payment (visa fee)
Poor grammar and formatting
📊 Key Learnings
Always verify the sender’s email domain
Check for SSL (https://) and company legitimacy
Never click links or share personal details without verification
Be skeptical of unrealistic offers and urgent requests
Use tools like ScamAdviser, MXToolbox, and WHOIS for validation
🧩 Tools Used Tool Purpose
ScamAdviser Domain reputation check
WHOIS Domain registration details
MXToolbox Mail server & DNS verification
Google Safe Browsing Site safety check
Browser inspection Content validation
🧾 Disclaimer
This report is created solely for educational and awareness purposes.
No private data was accessed or misused.
The goal is to promote responsible cybersecurity practices and phishing awareness.
🔗 Author Links 🌐 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/venkata-sangeetha-avasarala-079403283
💻 GitHub - https://github.com/sangeethaavasarala