Watch Out For Suspicious Emails

As if the days weren’t hard enough, online scammers are finding new ways to try and trick you out of your hard-earned money. Suspicious emails are just one way scammers are targeting people.

As more consumers use digital avenues for everyday use, it’s becoming more difficult to distinguish between a reputable source and a scammer’s dupe. By learning the signs, being vigilant, and securing your assets you can protect yourself from online scammers.

Learn the Signs

It can be difficult to determine if a communication is real or fake when it comes digitally. Phishing is a communication scam that tries to lure people into voluntarily sharing their personal information.

However, there are signs that you can look for to determine if the communication is legit. For example, look out for:

• Unexpected requests or notices
• Unfamiliar sender address
• Misspellings or grammatical errors
• Urgent requests for immediate action
• Unusual URLs included asking for action

Be Suspicious

The best rule of thumb is to assume an email could be fraudulent. To ensure your information is secure, follow these steps before releasing personal information, clicking on a link, or opening a file.

• Do not reply to the message, download any attachments, or click any links before verifying the sender is authentic.
• Even if the link looks legitimate, always visit the company’s website or call them directly to verify legitimacy.
• If it is a scam, contact the Federal Trade Commission Complaint Assistant and delete the email. WeStreet members can also visit our Fraud Center to report fraud.

Secure All Assets

Scammers are constantly changing their tactics to attract people to their trap. They can hack their way through email, text, calls, social media, or online and you’re none the wiser until it’s too late.

Practice banking safety by protecting your assets by diligently monitoring your credit report and financial accounts, strengthening your passwords, and choosing zero liability if that’s an option on your debit or credit card.