Since the dawn of technology, email phishing has plagued billions. Many unsuspecting people have lost large sums of money or even had their identities stolen through this common scamming venue. To help you identify when an email is fake or a possible scam, Bo Dietl lists four signs to beware of:
- Poor spelling or grammar. Any reputable company is going to ensure their content contains proper spelling and grammar. Of course, companies are run by humans, and humans make mistakes. However, if errors seem frequent or blatantly obvious, you’re likely not dealing with whomever the sender claims to be.
- Irregular email address. Always check the sender’s email address. An email from a company will be something relevant to the website domain URL. If the address seems odd, chances are the message you received is not from that company.
- Asking for money or personal information. Never send money or give personal information via email before checking authenticity first. No reputable company will ask for this over email. If you have doubts, call the company’s customer service line and ask if the email was sent from them.
- Unsolicited or unfamiliar contact. It’s common to get an e-mail and think, “I don’t remember signing up for this!” Most companies will not send you an email unrequested. Try reaching them via phone or other methods of contact before responding.
