10 Ways to Spot an E-Mail Scam

E-mail scams and phishing attempts evolve constantly, hoping to take advantage of the latest trends and current events. Although the e-mails change, the people behind them inadvertently send up the same warning signs again and again. We dug through mountains of spam to find the most prevailing trends. We've collected some actual scam e-mails and highlighted the warning signs to help you spot a hustle the next time one lands in your inbox.

1. Requests for personal information
No legitimate organization will ask for your social security, bank account or PIN number via e-mail – and none will include a link, sending you to a form to enter it. No matter how authentic these emails may look, ignore 'em.

2. Watch for typos or spelling mistakes
Scam artists are street smart, but many flunked basic grammar (or barely speak English). Look for mistakes like inappropriate hyphens or confusing "your" and "you're." If the note has multiple typos or grammatical errors, odds are it's not legitimate.

3. Clickable Web links in e-mails
Don't trust links to Web sites in e-mails. What might look like a legitimate address is often linked to a third-party site that looks official, but is actually run by thieves and scammers. These are the fast track to identity and financial theft.

4. 'Market research' or surveys that ask you for personal information.
Disguising scam e-mails as marketing is a classic ploy. You'll be asked to fill out a survey or enter a contest – requiring you to give personal information or "log on" to your account. Once you've done so, the scammers can use it themselves.

5. Stock tips from random people or companies
Got a "hot stock tip" via e-mail? It's probably a "pump and dump" scheme. The sender already owns shares – and when you and others act on the "tip," the stock price soars and he sells fast – leaving you with virtually worthless shares.

6. Attachments in e-mails from anyone you don't know
It should be common sense, but just in case, we'll remind you again: Don't open an attachment from someone you don't know – even if it appears to be your bank or credit card company. It's almost always a virus or spyware meant to steal your personal information.

7. Wordless e-mails
Some legitimate looking "e-mails" are actually just images. The danger with these is that clicking anywhere in the body takes you to a suspect Web site – where you may be fooled into entering personal information, or the scammer may slip spyware onto your machine.

8. Outdated information
Some scammers like to pose as technical- or customer support from a company you associate with – but fail to keep up with current events. For example, in the example above, the senders forgot that Earthlink bought Mindspring in 2000.

9. Red-flag phrases
If you see the phrases "verify your account," "you have won the lottery" or "if you don't respond within XX hours, your account will be closed," it's a scam – every time. Hit the delete button and don't look back.

10. Generic greetings
While you can't trust every e-mail that knows your name, you can definitely ignore the ones that start "Dear member" or "Hello friend." If your bank or credit card company is writing you, it knows who you are. So do your friends.







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Comments
88
Subscribe to commentsAdamOct 26th 2009 1:03PM
You are a mindless stooge of the right-wing hate media. Congratulations.
mg64guyOct 26th 2009 1:05PM
Capital punishment for spammers and scammers should make them think twice.
steburtonOct 26th 2009 1:05PM
I wonder what effect this has on us socioculturally? That is, having to deal with criminals and their efforts on a daily basis. Does it cause us to accept criminal behavior as an inevitable part of our social fabric? I, for one, deeply resent having to spend so much of my daily life deleting these emails and dealing with these attempts to steal my private information.
mannyalbiteOct 26th 2009 1:09PM
yes yes yes just be carefull out there but when I hear this idiots that istill beleive that the president is not an american and I mean you Alice I really feel sorry for you I see your brain has been spam and contaminated I am so glad you quit your teaching job
Silberman GeorgeOct 26th 2009 1:10PM
Gentlemen: Very very useful and informative. Thanks for doing this important service.
Silberman
tresbonbonOct 26th 2009 1:11PM
What amazes me is all the people here complaining about incorrect grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. yet type in all lower-case letters, have run-on sentences/paragraphs, improper usage, etc.
And, in defense of using the wrong your/you're, or there/they're, it's not always a case of ignorance. Sometimes, the brain just sends the wrong one down to your fingers. I try not to criticize these people or I'll make some stupid flub myself, but, come on folks, at least read your posts before you send them and correct the obvious.
corvet6brazOct 26th 2009 1:18PM
well who is to say this whole aritcal is not a scam in its self
you just cant trust people any more after all this really is not america any
longer we have been taken over by the worlds theifs thru
imagration and poor goverment in the u.s. there the biggest
thevies of all,,thanks america for voting in the biggest thevie
of all time.
rwa325Oct 26th 2009 1:15PM
Byrd: Perhaps she meant, "No Child Left Behind," which will pass anyone, just so their self esteem isn't damaged by "flunking out," when that is exactly what they needed to do.
catandy6469Oct 26th 2009 1:38PM
I used to get tons of these, I actually responded with
what's your contact information, my lawyer needs to
do the cash transfers
and then I put on the bottom fbi.gov.trace.com (hee hee hee)
TeresaOct 26th 2009 1:49PM
Don't these people have JOBS!?!?!?!?!?
RevenVanHosenOct 26th 2009 1:51PM
I got a good one it was an official letter from the FBI all done up like an official document.
The FBI was helping a Nigerian Bank find me to give me some huge amount of money.
I didn't report it I just laughed anyone who would fall for that has got to be a moron
SandyOct 26th 2009 1:55PM
Wow, that comment is a stretch. I recall that idiot "Bush" who could not speak or spell proper English was president for 8 yrs and all he brought to the US was war. Our education system declined significantly during his reign (oops, that word signifies dictatorship, hm). Obama's education is impecable and was born in the US dummy and I am sure he speaks and writes much better than you cause your brain is muddled.
AlbertOct 26th 2009 2:22PM
I can see there are many democrats here since it is a fact that Hussein Obama has a very low IQ but of course people were paid to say otherwise. There is no way he could have graduated from Harvard and passed the exams but here again people made money to push him through. You can tell by the way he flaunts his family, especially his ugly old lady, if they are really married. Yes, Bush wasn't the smartest man around but at least he believed in preserving his heritage, unlike many people who are kissing Obama's ---.
CraigDec 2nd 2009 1:14PM
"it is a fact that Hussein Obama has a very low IQ"
source?
MarthaOct 26th 2009 10:26PM
Obama wasn't born in Africa. You were a teacher? What did you teach, driver's ed?
CraigDec 2nd 2009 1:11PM
... to Tiger Woods
petermeadaOct 31st 2009 11:12PM
A scammer got a virus into my computer which sent messages to many in my address book asking them in my name if they wanted to be "my friend" and then asking them for personal information. Some spotted and ignored the scam but others didn't and were annoyed. I feel frustrated that there is no "authority to report this to.
rsssisterNov 19th 2009 2:31AM
when I get a letter fron Nigeria I tell them deduct the couple of Hundred they want from my millions and send me the rest. no one evey contacts me.............HELLO
CraigDec 2nd 2009 1:10PM
That .exe attachment is a pretty good sign. So is that link to paypal.com that, when you roll over it, gives you a foot-long URL that may have "paypal" in it, but that after a half-second of closer examination is actually pointing to a site in Romania or Bulgaria or some such place.
kjdshksdhfkshdkDec 2nd 2009 7:39PM
w w w . e b u s y b i z . c o m
have some cheap things ...
ni ke sh oes , fash ion clo thes ; bra nd han dbags , wal let ...