You’ve probably seen those suspicious emails pop up among your inbox, promising riches, threatening account closure, or claiming you’ve won a prize, but these are all types of email scams that are getting trickier to spot. If you don’t want to fall victim to an email scam, read on to learn how to spot common e-mail scams and recognize phishing attempts.
Scammers are getting smarter and advancing from well-known common scams, but it is easy to learn the tools and steps to protect yourself from phishing attacks. Learn how to spot common e-mail scams like a pro, and your inbox (and your bank account) will thank you.
You’ve probably heard the term “phishing” before, but do you really know what it means? Phishing is a type of online scam where criminals try to trick you into giving up your personal information, like your login credentials, account numbers or credit card numbers. They do this by sending a phishing email message or text messages that look like they’re from a legitimate company or organization but is actually from fake websites or accounts.
One of the most common types of phishing email scams is the “imitator” scam where scammers create an email or website that looks almost identical to a real company’s site because they might use the same logo, colors, and even the same wording as the legitimate site you would see from a web search. The goal is to make you think you’re dealing with a reputable company, so you’ll be more likely to hand over your sensitive information without thinking twice about it. If you don’t know how to spot common e-mail scams and recognize phishing, you might accidentally give up your bank information without realizing until it is too late.
Another type of phishing scam is the “urgent offer” scam. These are an unexpected email or message that will try to create a sense of urgency or fear to get you to act quickly without thinking. They might say something like “your account will be closed if you don’t update your information within 24 hours,” or “you’ve won a prize or gift cards, but you need to claim it now.”
Scammers also love to impersonate government agencies to make their phishing attempts seem more legitimate and might send an email claiming to be from the IRS, saying you owe back taxes and need to pay immediately to avoid legal consequences in order to obtain your personal financial information and steal money. Or they might pretend to be from the Social Security Administration, asking you to “verify” your Social Security number. If people don’t know how to spot common e-mail scams, these “official notice” scams prey on their fear of getting in trouble with the law.
Finally, there are lottery and survey scams. These phishing email accounts claim that you’ve won a foreign lottery or that you can earn money by taking a survey, and all you need to do is provide your bank account information so they can “deposit your winnings” or “pay you for your opinion.” They will steal money from your bank accounts if you make an online payment to give them access to your personal account.
So how can you stay safe and protect yourself from falling for phishing scams? If you receive a message to your email address asking for personal information or your credit card number out of the blue, be suspicious. Legitimate companies will never ask you to provide sensitive data via email, and if you didn’t initiate the contact, don’t respond or take action by clicking links.
Before clicking on any links in an email, hover over them to see where they actually lead, because if the URL looks strange or doesn’t match the company’s official website, it’s probably a phishing attempt. Also, if the sender’s information does not match the email or phone number listed by the official company, or has bad grammar, it is probably fake. Subtle misspellings or a completely different domain than the company’s real email are major warning signs and mindful tactics to use when learning how to spot common e-mail scams.
If you suspect an email is a phishing attempt, don’t engage with it, it is better to stay safe. Don’t click on a suspicious link, download any attachments, or reply to the message. Even if you’re curious, engaging will only put your information at risk. Report scams to your IT team or IT help desk immediately.
Of course, the best way to avoid falling for a phishing scam is to be proactive about protecting your personal information online and avoiding identity theft. Your email address is often the gateway to your other online accounts like your social media, so it’s crucial to keep it secure. Use a strong, unique password and consider using a password manager to help you generate and store complex passwords or enable two-factor authentication if available.
Phishing doesn’t just happen via email; it can happen through social media or texts. Be wary of unsolicited phone calls and text messages, especially those asking for personal information or payment details. Scammers can spoof phone numbers to make it look like they’re calling from a legitimate business.
Understanding how to spot common e-mail scams goes beyond being cautious, it includes some technical measures you can take to protect against phishing attempts.
Many email providers and web sear browsers offer anti-phishing tools and filters against scam email addresses and scam text messages, so be sure to enable these whenever possible. For example, Microsoft Office 365 has built-in Microsoft security for phishing protection and Gmail automatically filters many suspicious emails into the spam folder. You can also install anti-phishing toolbars on your web browser for added protection against fake websites while browsing.
Now you know how to spot common e-mail scams and are ready to face those phishing attempts head-on.
Remember don’t fall victim, if an email seems too good to be true, it probably is. Spotting phishing means to trust your gut, double-check links, and never give out your personal information, social media, or payment details to an unverified source or email account. With a little vigilance and a lot of common sense to avoid and report phishing, you can keep your inbox (and your identity) safe and sound.
You’ve got the tools, you’ve got the know-how, and now you can take on the world of e-mail scams more confidently – one suspicious message at a time.