You can most definitely train your “bullshit “detector to be able to spot scammy email. This is an essential skill in the age of ever increasing scams & fake news partially driven by AI’s more human than human ??
If in doubt, either ask an expert or, delete. If you are receiving an unexpected email, even if it is from someone you know, pay attention for other clues it could be a scam.
I have been receiving a bunch of e-mail scams recently and thought I would just let people know how to avoid being caught by the more obvious scams. Where to look for clues as to if an e-mail is real or not.
Remember each time you respond to a spammer, you are validating that your address is correct and active. And that’s just what they are looking for active e-mail addresses.
Think about how legitimate business functions
Think about it, a legitimate business does not want you to send loud signals of fear. They are subtle with their manipulation and coaxing.
Warning signs it might be a scam
Fear & Urgency
These are usually together. “You need to act now to not be cut off”.
Sound the alarm! There’s a good chance it’s a scam if the email:
- Contains a link or attachment that asks you to log on to an online service with your username and password or to provide other personal information – They usually spoof the site they are immitating so that you enter your credentials, then they can quickly login as you before you realise your mistake.
- Requests a payment but the bank account and BSB details are new or have changed since the last payment you made –
- Claims to be from a well-known organisation or government agency but is sent from a free webmail address (for example @gmail.com, @yahoo.com)
Firstly, get and use the latest version Mozilla Thunderbird as your browser. It can detect some of the scams and handles general spam far better than Outlook Express.
If there is any doubt or discrepancy in the e-mail you have been sent, delete it. Bad ingrish english, delete it.
Let’s take a look at a mail I was sent. This is an actual screen capture from my PC. See how Thunderbird has marked it as a possible scam.
Watch out for “the hook”, in this case there is supposedly a message from a friend. Yay!
Clues that this mail is bullshit:-
- Thunderbird has tagged it as a possible scam
Subject: Friend sent you a greeting ecard from greetingcard.org!
- Bad ingrish
- A valid site would put my friends name in i.e. Sandy Smith sent you…
- Exclamation mark!, watch out for the oversell
From: greetingcard.org <rio@nchcityschools.org>
- Mismatched domains i.e. why is the mail from nchcityschools.org
- If you visit greetingcard.org you will find info on e-mail scams exactly like this one
To: grant at handshake.co.za
- If this came from a friend and a trustworthy site it would most likely have my name and e-mail address i.e. Grant Day <grant at handshake.co.za>
Body: Friend has created…
- Is this ingrish
- the fact that the link is to an IP address i.e. 76.232.152.138 instead of greetingcard.org is a giveaway. Watch out though for false links, i.e. links that look legitimate but when you scroll over the link you find it points somewhere else entirely.
And the final clue that this mail in complete rubbish, I have no friends, boo hooo.
Terms
Spoof