Email scams are everywhere. And if you aren’t sure what to look for, it can become easier than ever to fall into one of their traps. Nefarious characters out to get your data are getting more sophisticated with their tactics, so it’s important to stay on top of the latest ways they are using email to lure you in, get hold of your personal information, and use it to their advantage (which usually means for monetary gain). According to the Washington State Office of the Attorney General, these are five of the most common email scams to keep on your radar.
Imitations
Emails that pose as legitimate companies are big right now. If you get an email that claims it’s from a company like PayPal or from your bank, and also claims you owe a large sum of money (but not too large so not to draw suspicion), there’s a really good chance it’s bogus and you should report and delete it. Some of the signs to look for include:
— Your name isn’t mentioned anywhere in the email
— If you hover over the URL’s destination, you can see it doesn’t link to the actual website
— There are threats in the email that make you think action will be taken if you don’t comply
— If you hover over the sender’s email address, you’ll see the actual address — and it isn’t the company it claims to be
Urgent Offers
Is anything really all that urgent that you MUST click on the link today or else you’ll lose out on money and material goods? If you receive an email with an urgent offer that seems too good to be true, it probably is. Some ways to tell it’s a scam:
— The email comes from a company you’ve never heard of.
— No dates are given as to when the urgent offer expires.
— You’re singled out for an exclusive opportunity.
— The email requires that you make a financial transaction to benefit from the deal.
Scary Government Emails
No, the IRS doesn’t send you scary emails to collect money. These problematic scams are designed to look as if they come from a government agency and they hint that you’re in some kind of trouble and have to take action. Signs to look for:
— The IRS wouldn’t send you an email like this.
— The IRS would identify the recipient by name.
— The sender’s email address is not correct.
— The URL destinations (when hovered over it — never click on it) doesn’t lead to an official government website.
You Won the Lotto
Chances are you didn’t win the lottery (and that goes triple if you never play). These emails claim your name has been entered into some amazing lottery and, lo and behold, you’ve won millions of dollars and need to click on a random link to collect.
— The sender is often a person, not a company — something that an actual company would never do.
— No one is listed as the recipient.
— The message can contain typos.
— If you Google it, you find there is no such lottery
Surveys
A final popular email scam is the survey that can be about any topic under the sun — from voting to beauty products. This scam can be identified in a few ways:
— Your email service provider flags the message as questionable.
— The sender’s email address contains a number of letters and numbers that are random and seem fake.
— The sender doesn’t identify you by name.
— The email asks you to click on downloaded images.
One of the most important reminders of all is not to click on any links in any of the scams mentioned here — doing this alone can result in you downloading spyware and malicious software to your computer or phone.
