The emails that land in your inbox aren’t always what you expect and sometimes it can be difficult to differentiate legit emails from spam messages. It only takes one click to allow spam onto your computer, therefore putting your sensitive data at risk and allowing unauthorised access. So, how can you tell if an email is legit or not?
Here are five questions to ask yourself before responding to an unusual email.
Do I know the sender?
One of the most obvious signs that an email isn’t legit is it’s sent by an unknown person. Take a look at the email address and if you don’t recognise it then this is a warning sign that you shouldn’t ignore. However, you should also be mindful that if emails may seem legit if somebody’s account has been hacked so you’ll need to look out for other telltale signs.
Is the message asking for an unusual request?
Look carefully at the contents of the email. Whether it’s from a recognised email address or not, are they making an unusual request or speaking differently? Using a different tone of voice or asking for something unusual should not be ignored so if you feel like something is off, try to contact the sender by phone to ask if they sent the email and ignore unknown senders.
Does anything stand out in the email?
If your first impressions of the email are wary then you’ll need to do a few more checks before responding. First of all, if you’ve been emailed by a body such as a bank, take a look at the email address. There shouldn’t be personal names in these kinds of email addresses or other unknown addresses CC’d into the email. Secondly, the template of the email may look wonky and thirdly check for obvious typos.
Am I being asked for personal information?
Sensitive information should not be sent via email. If you are being asked for passwords, bank details, log in information or anything similar this should not be actioned. Don’t feel pressured into sending anything that you don’t feel comfortable with, especially personal information.
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