Consumer – Beware of E-mail Scams

You are sitting at your computer when you see that you have an email. When you check the email address you notice it is from one of your contacts so you open the email and to your surprise your friend is asking for money. What should you do?

Well this has happened to quite a few people I know. While spam emails are usually automatically identified and rejected, when the email address is your friend’s it is easier for consumers to fall prey to predators.

There is often enough information in the email to convince the reader that it is from a legitimate source. Often a request is followed by detail explanations or information about how to deliver the funds. This is of course as a result of the friend’s email being hacked and there are several things you can do to protect yourself.

Do not attempt to answer the email. Instead check with the friend the email is supposed to have come from and verify the information. It is best to tell the friend that their address is compromised so they can change it if necessary or warn their other friends who might receive similar requests for money.

Some emails tell of a great business opportunity which you only need to click on a link to receive. However, this might unleash a virus on your hard drive so it is best not to follow the link unless you are certain of the source.

Hope these tips are useful! Let me hear from you how do you protect yourself from email scams?

Best Regards,
Teri Ann Renee Paisley

Tags: consumer, scams