Is This Email a Scam? How to Handle an Email that Doesn’t Look Quite Right
phishing awareness

June 17, 2019

Is This Email a Scam? How to Handle an Email that Doesn’t Look Quite Right

We all like to believe we are relatively smart human beings, and that we can’t be scammed. But when it comes to those who seek to take advantage, it isn’t about being smart. Just like you have a job to do and you are probably an expert at it, the job of a hacker is to deceive you, and they are very good at what they do! And typically when we get a message from someone that we think we know, which is a very common tool that hackers use, the last thing we want to do is to be rude and not answer it. If you are asking “is this email a scam?,” the chances are good that it is!

Emails Scams

One of the most popular ways that hackers get into your prsonal accounts and wreak havoc is through email links that play right into their hands. The emails themselves look like they come from an official site. And typically the email has a link for you to take action. I had a woman call me the other day saying that she had gotten an email from a long, lost boyfriend. The email had asked that she sign into her Google account to view the “personal” message that he was sending her.s

Is This Email a Scam?

The intent of the email was for her to use the link provided and supply the hackers with her Google password. Once she did, they could gain access to just about any personal information they needed to do some real damage. Although she didn’t click on it or respond, she was still curious enough to check-in to ask me.

 

Take the Extra Step

It might take an extra step to make sure you are secure, but it is well worth it. If you receive an email, even if it doesn’t seem all that suspicious, go to the source. For instance, if you have a credit card company email you that there might be a fraudulent charge on your card, and it says “sign in here to check”, don’t. Instead, go to the bank’s website and sign in as you would regularly. If there is a problem, there will be an alert on your account. Or, even better, call the credit card company directly and let them know about the email. Banks need to know when someone is fraudulently targeting their customers. And they will sometimes even warn the public so that no one falls prey.

 

 

Call us - We are Here to Help!

No one likes to feel foolish, or as if they are not smart enough to know when they are potentially being scammed. But rest assured we have ALL fallen prey at some point, usually whether we know it or not. When it comes to the internet, it is always best to go the extra step to ensure that you aren’t unwittingly giving someone your information who wishes to use it for unscrupulous reasons. If you ever have a question about whether an email or any correspondence via the internet is real, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and reach out. It doesn’t make you dumb to be scammed; it makes you human! If you’ve got a question like “is this email a scam?,” we have the quick answers you need, so take the time to pick up the phone and let us help.

 

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