phisher

noun

phish·​er ˈfi-shər 

plural phishers

: a person who tricks Internet users into revealing personal or confidential information which can then be used illicitly : a person who engages in phishing

A phisher will use emails … to scam an individual out of their money. Phishing is different from a lot of other scams because usually these crooks are not trying to get you to buy anything. They're after information.

—The State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL)

Examples of phisher in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Microsoft To ensure that the TOTP is entered within the time limit (usually about 30 seconds), the phishers use bots based on Telegram or other real-time messengers that automatically enter credentials quickly. —Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 14 Mar. 2023

Since the phishers logging in to the employee account are miles or continents away from the authenticating device, the 2FA fails. —Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 10 Feb. 2023

This means that a phisher online can't simply trick someone into handing over their password, or even a password plus a second-factor code, to break into a digital account. —Lily Hay Newman, WIRED, 30 Dec. 2022

The most important defense is remaining humble and not falling into the mindset that we would never get pulled in by a phisher. —Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 11 Aug. 2022

Word History

Etymology

respelling of fisher after phishing

First Known Use

1996, in the meaning defined above