Is This Email a Scam?
Scam emails often create urgency, fear, or excitement to make you click before thinking. An email can look professional and still be fraudulent.
What’s happening?
Scam emails are designed to look like they came from legitimate companies, banks, government agencies, or even people you know.
How these scams work
- The message may use a fake company name or logo.
- It may create urgency or threaten a problem with your account.
- It may ask you to click a link, open a file, pay money, or share information.
An email can contain a familiar company name, logo, or branding and still be fraudulent.
The goal may be to steal your information, money, passwords, or access to your accounts.
Common warning signs
Be cautious if an email:
- Creates a sense of urgency or fear
- Says your account will be closed immediately
- Asks for your password or verification code
- Requests payment unexpectedly
- Contains an unusual sender address
- Includes a suspicious link or attachment
- Has unusual spelling or wording
- Claims you won a prize you weren't expecting
What you should do
- Look at the sender's email address carefully. Don't rely only on the name displayed.
- Don't click unexpected links or attachments.
- If the email claims to be from a company, contact that company through its official website or phone number.
- Don't reply with passwords, verification codes, banking information, or other sensitive information.
- If you're unsure, leave the email alone until you can verify it.
Stop here
Don't click a suspicious link just to see where it goes.
Don't download an attachment you weren't expecting.
If an email asks you to act immediately, especially with money or sensitive information involved, stop and verify it independently.
If an unexpected message, pop-up, or caller is pressuring you to pay, call a number, install software, or share a code, do not follow those instructions until you have verified the situation independently.
If you opened an attachment or entered information on a suspicious site, stop and secure the affected account rather than continuing to interact with the email.
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