The Psychology of Cybercrime: Why Employees Still Click Suspicious Links

(And What We Can Do About It)

Let’s be honest: despite all the training, courses, phishing tests, and stern IT warnings… people still click. That weird email with the fake invoice? Someone opens it. The “You’ve won a gift card!” message? Yep – clicked.

As an MSP, it might feel like a never-ending game of whack-a-mole trying to help your clients dodge a breach. But here’s the thing: it’s not just about carelessness or a lack of training. There’s real psychology behind why cybercriminals are so successful at getting people to fall for their tricks.

So let’s unpack the “why” behind the clicks, and what we can do to stop them (or at least catch them fast).

1. People Are Wired to Trust

Most of us are social creatures, it’s in our human nature. We want to believe that our coworker really did send us that file. Or that the company we ordered from is just sending a shipping confirmation. Cybercriminals know this, and exploit it.

They use urgency, familiarity, and authority to trigger a quick response before logic kicks in. Think:

• “Your account has been locked!”
• “Here’s the invoice you requested.”
• “Click here before your package is returned.”

These are pressure tactics designed to override cautious thinking.

2. Phishing Emails Look Really Legit These Days

Gone are the days of broken English and obvious scams. Today’s phishing emails often:

• Use real company logos
• Imitate coworkers or vendors
• Link to websites that look exactly like the real deal

In the rush of a busy day, it’s easy to miss that one letter off in the email address or the extra dash in the URL.

3. We’re All Moving Too Fast

Raise your hand if you’ve skimmed an email and clicked a link without thinking (guilty!). Modern workplaces are full of distractions, and multitasking is the norm. That’s exactly what cyber attackers are counting on.

Phishing works best when we’re tired, distracted, or in a hurry. Basically, just another Tuesday afternoon. 

4. Phishing Isn’t Just Digital—It’s Psychological

Cybercriminals use social engineering to:

• Manipulate emotions (fear, greed, curiosity)
• Impersonate authority figures
• Exploit routines and expectations

They’re not just hacking systems, they’re hacking humans. And humans, as we know, are wonderfully predictable. 

So… What Can We Do?

We’re not here to shame clickers. (We’ve all been there!) Instead, let’s focus on smart, realistic, and actionable ways to reduce the risk:

✅ Normalize reporting. Make it easy and safe to report mistakes without fear or finger-pointing.

✅ Make training real. Use examples from your own industry or company, rather than generic “Don’t click links!” messages.

✅ Run fun phishing tests. Make them engaging, and reward people for spotting the fake ones.

✅ Layer your defenses. Email filtering, MFA, backups – every layer helps when something gets through.

Consider adding a “Plan B” Just in Case

Even with the best training and tools, stuff happens. Remember, we’re human. It’s recommended more than ever to have a layer of cyber protection in place, such as cyber insurance or a cyber warranty, like the one from Cork Protection. Cork’s monitoring platform will also alert you to lapses in coverage and help highlight areas of need for your client to be 100% secured. 

It’s not about replacing your security. It’s about adding peace of mind in case someone clicks the wrong thing and an incident turns into a real-world expense. Think of it as your financial safety net for when Murphy’s Law strikes. Understanding the why behind those risky clicks helps us build smarter defenses, foster a stronger security culture, and support our teams without blame.

Train. Prepare. Support. And maybe give your team a little grace when that “invoice” turns out to be a trap. Because when the worst does happen, it’s nice to know there’s a backup plan, and someone who’s got your back.