5 Signs That The Email You Just Got Is A Scam

Unsplash/Corinne Kutz

How many emails do you get every day? We’re probably in the ballpark of hundreds. (Granted, we’re in media, but still.) It’s nearly impossible to catch every single shady email. But believe us — you should know when a scammer’s on the loose. Here are six red flags that suggest the email you just received should go in the spam folder now.

1. The subject line is just…strange.

This one’s maybe the most obvious, because who honestly would look at an email with the subject line “gEt Paid$$ 4 yOUR Photos!!!!!” and be like, “Yeah, sounds good!”? No one. Well, maybe a few people, but if you identify with this group, read this point a second time to let that sink in.

2. The email address looks straight-up fake.

What’s the difference between [email protected] and [email protected]? The second one is most likely fake. Thankfully, you don’t need to even open the email to determine that this situation is a scam. Send it straight to spam!

Unsplash/Chad Madden

3. The contact info at the bottom of the email is questionable.

If you’re comfortable enough to open the email (or you already did by accident — hey, it happens), check the contact information. If it doesn’t seem legit, it’s probably not. You’re in the clear!

4. The sender is using a big brand’s name but something’s off about the email.

Got an email supposedly from Oprah Magazine, but the logo isn’t the right one, or the language just doesn’t seem professional? It’s possible the email address clearly isn’t associated with the organization. Unfortunately, this type of scam is difficult to spot right away, especially if the hackers do their research to make the email look legit. Search for any and every clue that would indicate that the email isn’t legit.

5. The sender is asking you for personal information.

Under no circumstances should you ever give out personal information over email, let alone give out personal information to a random email address. If the sender is pretending to be someone important, like the IRS, you’ll know it’s a fake just by the way they’re asking you for information. No legitimate organization would request information that way.

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