How to Detect Scam or Phishing Emails
Spam filters have gotten pretty sophisticated, but some scam or phishing emails still get through.
In most cases, scam emails are easy to spot. In other cases, it's a bit harder.
A lot of scam or phishing emails follow the same criteria. Someone claims to need your help (read: money) or someone has money for you. Some emails simply ask you to download a file or link without much context. Check out a few common ones below.
The "FREE MONEY" email scam
This is when someone claims you've won money, but they need all of your personal information or you need to give them money first.
From: MR. JEH CHARLES JOHNSON <wulnik@interia.pl>
Date: Sun, Aug 14, 2016 at 10:04 PM
Subject: FROM:..USA DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY!!!.
To:
FROM .. HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT!!!
MG Timothy J. Lowenberg,Adjutant General and Director State Military
Department Washington Military Dept., Bldg1 Camp Murry ,Wash 98430-5000 USA.
Text Jeh SMS Only (202) 524-2040
I am Mr.Jeh Charles Johnson Secretary of homeland security department.we know that you have not received Your fund from Africa! we have finally cash your $4.5million abandoned long-lost cheque confirming to be your won compensation funds,we cash the monies and we decided to boxed the money to avoiding expiry of the cheque because it has stayed long in our custody searching for your contact to reach you,after our investigation that we discovered that the money is not an illegal payment. so kindly reconfirm your full address,
your full name=================
your full address================
your country===========
your copy of id===============
your telephone number=========
your nearest airport=============
your occupation============
your Age=========.
and your current email============ so that your box money will deliver to you as soon as possible. Note: Remember that you are going to send the weight fee of your consignment box instructed by the country origin of your FUND which will cost you $350 ONLY. You can call MR. David Brown at :+229 98714951 the director of overseas payment of the presidency office who is in charge to give instruction approval to releasing the boxed-money consignment to me for onwards delivering it to you,or reach me with my confidential email id ( jehjohnson12@gmail.com )
Get back to us ASAP!.
Thanks and God bless you!
SINCERELY YOURS,
Jeh C. Johnson
SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.
The "Help me pls send money"scam
Someone claiming they're stuck in another country and needs you to send money immediately.
From: Cindy Waits <crew1958@yahoo.com>
To: crew1958@yahoo.com
Subject: Urgent Help
Reply-To: crewl958@yahoo.com
I really hope you get this on time. I didn't tell you about my visit to Spain with for a short vacation, but unfortunately i was robbed at the hotel where i lodged along with other folks. My phone was also stolen and the hotel telephone lines were disconnected during the incident. So I have access to only emails. Please I'm going to need some sort of loan from you for me to relocate to another hotel close to the embassy and also to get another flight ticket. Those thieves made away with my credit card as well which is why this can't be resolved instantly.
I have been to the Police and they directed me to the embassy but they're not helping issues at all and my flight leaves tomorrow..Please, Let me know if you can help me out?
In most cases, scam emails are easy to spot. In other cases, it's a bit harder.
A lot of scam or phishing emails follow the same criteria. Someone claims to need your help (read: money) or someone has money for you. Some emails simply ask you to download a file or link without much context. Check out a few common ones below.
The "FREE MONEY" email scam
This is when someone claims you've won money, but they need all of your personal information or you need to give them money first.
From: MR. JEH CHARLES JOHNSON <wulnik@interia.pl>
Date: Sun, Aug 14, 2016 at 10:04 PM
Subject: FROM:..USA DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY!!!.
To:
FROM .. HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT!!!
MG Timothy J. Lowenberg,Adjutant General and Director State Military
Department Washington Military Dept., Bldg1 Camp Murry ,Wash 98430-5000 USA.
Text Jeh SMS Only (202) 524-2040
I am Mr.Jeh Charles Johnson Secretary of homeland security department.we know that you have not received Your fund from Africa! we have finally cash your $4.5million abandoned long-lost cheque confirming to be your won compensation funds,we cash the monies and we decided to boxed the money to avoiding expiry of the cheque because it has stayed long in our custody searching for your contact to reach you,after our investigation that we discovered that the money is not an illegal payment. so kindly reconfirm your full address,
your full name=================
your full address================
your country===========
your copy of id===============
your telephone number=========
your nearest airport=============
your occupation============
your Age=========.
and your current email============ so that your box money will deliver to you as soon as possible. Note: Remember that you are going to send the weight fee of your consignment box instructed by the country origin of your FUND which will cost you $350 ONLY. You can call MR. David Brown at :+229 98714951 the director of overseas payment of the presidency office who is in charge to give instruction approval to releasing the boxed-money consignment to me for onwards delivering it to you,or reach me with my confidential email id ( jehjohnson12@gmail.com )
Get back to us ASAP!.
Thanks and God bless you!
SINCERELY YOURS,
Jeh C. Johnson
SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.
The "Help me pls send money"scam
Someone claiming they're stuck in another country and needs you to send money immediately.
From: Cindy Waits <crew1958@yahoo.com>
To: crew1958@yahoo.com
Subject: Urgent Help
Reply-To: crewl958@yahoo.com
I really hope you get this on time. I didn't tell you about my visit to Spain with for a short vacation, but unfortunately i was robbed at the hotel where i lodged along with other folks. My phone was also stolen and the hotel telephone lines were disconnected during the incident. So I have access to only emails. Please I'm going to need some sort of loan from you for me to relocate to another hotel close to the embassy and also to get another flight ticket. Those thieves made away with my credit card as well which is why this can't be resolved instantly.
I have been to the Police and they directed me to the embassy but they're not helping issues at all and my flight leaves tomorrow..Please, Let me know if you can help me out?
I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
Regards
Cindy
The "Sophisticated Scammer"
This scammer knows how to be very deceitful. The email below was from a scammer posing as an employee from SpotCrime. The attachment they wanted us to open contained a phishing virus. Even the email domain that appears was @spotcrime.com.
Not sure whether an email is scamming or phishing? Here are some tips to help decide.
Do you know this person?
In both emails a name is given. Don't know a Cindy or Rowena? Red flag.
Contact the person another way
If you recognize the name and email address, but aren't sure if the email has been hacked, it never hurts to call/text the person first. Did Cindy not send you any email recently? Red flag.
Download Now or Click this link!
Is someone asking you to download something or click a link without explaining what is in the download or what is at the link? Red flag.
Asking for too much information
Is someone asking for you to send your SSN, bank account, address, birthdate? Red flag. This is all very confidential information that you shouldn't really share with anyone.
Check for contradictions or spelling/grammar errors
Most native English speakers (who claim to work for the US Government like in the first example) have grammar and spelling skills. If the sentences aren't making sense, red flag.
Check the domain
View more information in the To/Sent section of the email. Is the email is from someone claiming to work for the US Government (a .gov email), but it's coming from a yahoo.com? Red flag.
In the "Sophisticated Scammer" example, there wasn't a Rowena who worked at SpotCrime so we were immediately suspicious. After further investigation, we determined domain they were using (our domain - @spotcrime.com) wasn't really our domain, they were simply using code to make it look like they were sending it from SpotCrime.
Still not sure if the email is a scammer? Check Google or just ignore the email. If someone really wants to get in touch with you they will find another way.
Regards
Cindy
The "Sophisticated Scammer"
This scammer knows how to be very deceitful. The email below was from a scammer posing as an employee from SpotCrime. The attachment they wanted us to open contained a phishing virus. Even the email domain that appears was @spotcrime.com.
Not sure whether an email is scamming or phishing? Here are some tips to help decide.
Do you know this person?
In both emails a name is given. Don't know a Cindy or Rowena? Red flag.
Contact the person another way
If you recognize the name and email address, but aren't sure if the email has been hacked, it never hurts to call/text the person first. Did Cindy not send you any email recently? Red flag.
Is someone asking you to download something or click a link without explaining what is in the download or what is at the link? Red flag.
Asking for too much information
Is someone asking for you to send your SSN, bank account, address, birthdate? Red flag. This is all very confidential information that you shouldn't really share with anyone.
Check for contradictions or spelling/grammar errors
Most native English speakers (who claim to work for the US Government like in the first example) have grammar and spelling skills. If the sentences aren't making sense, red flag.
Check the domain
View more information in the To/Sent section of the email. Is the email is from someone claiming to work for the US Government (a .gov email), but it's coming from a yahoo.com? Red flag.
In the "Sophisticated Scammer" example, there wasn't a Rowena who worked at SpotCrime so we were immediately suspicious. After further investigation, we determined domain they were using (our domain - @spotcrime.com) wasn't really our domain, they were simply using code to make it look like they were sending it from SpotCrime.
Still not sure if the email is a scammer? Check Google or just ignore the email. If someone really wants to get in touch with you they will find another way.
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