Email Scams: How To Identify Them

The Internet has become a tool that everyone uses, and hackers and scammers take advantage of that. To protect yourself from harmful software, email scams, or identity theft, it's crucial that you understand the ways you might be at risk.

There are many threats while you navigate through the web, but did you know that you can get hacked or scammed via your email? 

Let's see some of the most common schemes.

Spam Email

You've probably heard the word "spam" before, referring to the junk folder in your email. Spammers can send an email to millions of people in just one click, and they can do this anonymously.

That's why it's vital to be cautious when it comes to opening mail. When you receive a spam mail, and you download the photos attached to it, the hacker can see that you did that. Therefore, they can enter your computer or just keep sending a bunch of spam email.

For example, we've all received an email about erectile dysfunction and its treatments. This information can come from a real company, or it can come from spammers that are trying to get your personal information.

To avoid spammers from sending more emails, you can change your settings and turn off the automatic download of images. 

Phishing

Some scammers, instead of sending spam mail, they send emails stating that there's something important they need to talk about.

This type of fraud is called phishing. It's an email that pretends to be from a bank or another significant source, and their end goal is to trick you into giving your personal information. 

These emails may ask you to verify information, re-enter a password, or update an app. When you do these things, they get full access to your data. It's vital that you realize this is a scam, and ignore the mail.

Love Mails 

There's a recent scam going around, in which a rich man contacts you and they make you fall in love with them. After some time, they have an emergency and start asking for money - either for a hospital emergency or for a flight. Well, this isn't a rich man, but instead a common scam. 

When you encounter this type of email, you must understand that they're trying to steal your information. We all have a family member that was contacted by this type of scammer pretending to be in love, but after some time, they start asking for money. 

It's hard to get someone out of this scheme because they think it's real love. But you have to start ghosting them, so they move on to another victim.

Final Thoughts

Scams through mail services are widespread, so you need to understand the difference between legitimate and phishy. Stay safe and be aware of everything online.