Identifying a Spam Email
To protect yourself and the organization from suspicious emails, please keep the following guidelines in mind. A good test to verify the authenticity of an email is to examine the domain name of the sender's address. If the domain appears legitimate, type it into your browser's address bar to confirm it leads to the expected website. Additionally, ensure the account hasn't been compromised by checking the language used—does it seem appropriate? Does the signature make sense? Are there any unusual requests? While our spam filtering solution, Proofpoint Essentials, helps identify and block many suspicious emails, some may still pass through.
When evaluating emails, consider these additional steps:
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Check the Sender: Be wary of emails from unknown senders, especially if their addresses seem like slightly altered versions of trusted domains. Always verify with IT if you're uncertain.
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Examine Links and Attachments: Hover over any links to see their destination before clicking. If the URL appears suspicious or doesn't match the expected destination, do not click it. Be cautious of unexpected attachments, even from known contacts. While .zip, .exe, .msi, and .html files are red flags, .pdf, .jpg, and .png files are generally safe. However, remain cautious if other red flags are present in the email.
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Look for Red Flags: Be alert for urgent requests for personal information, passwords, or payments; spelling and grammatical errors; and emails that claim to be from executives but use informal language or request unusual actions.
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Verify Internally: If you receive an email that seems suspicious but purports to be from a colleague or partner, confirm through a separate communication channel, such as a phone call.
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Report Suspicious Emails: Please report any suspicious emails to the IT department immediately so we can investigate and take appropriate action.
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