How to Detect Email Scams
People receive many scam emails each day; usually, such emails are marked as spam and are sent to the junk folder by the junk filter installed in your mail server. However, there is still a chance that a scam email might slip into your inbox and you may get trapped by its content. In order to remain prepared in such a scenario, it is really important to know what scam email looks like, in order to keep yourself safe from being scammed.
Instructions
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1
If you get an email from an employer about a job that you did not apply for, then you should know that it might be a scam. If the content of the email states that the employer got your CV from a job board website, then you should directly contact that particular job site and confirm if your CV was sent to this employer. If you receive a negative answer, then it is wise to refrain from replying to the "job offer" you received.
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2
Many scammers use names resembling government institutions, such as IRS, PayPal or any other financial institution, to steal your money. They may ask you to update your information by email. Here, you should check the sender’s complete email address and see if there is something fishy about it. For instance, if you received an email from @updatepaypal.com or @ipaypal.com, you should avoid hitting the reply button.
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3
“Lottery Win” emails are also very common these days. Such emails state that you have won some lottery and you will be required to send your personal information to receive the prize money. The email will also ask you to transfer the processing fee to a specific account. This is where you can detect that the email is a scam. You never have to pay something to get your prize. Do not send your personal information in this case, and save your precious time and money.
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4
You may also get an email from FedEx, hotmail, or any other service asking you to update your information. Once again, you should check the email address of the sender and if you find anything other than the official website address in the email ID, just click “Mark as Spam” and send the email to the junk or spam folder.
