Identifying a Scam Email
SomeTo initialprotect words,yourself toand bethe cleanedorganization upfrom latersuspicious withemails, referenceplease images:
keep the following guidelines in mind. A good test to verify the authenticity of an email is to look atexamine the domain name of the sendingsender's address. If the domain looksappears good you canlegitimate, type it into your browser's address bar andto see ifconfirm it takes you where you expect. Next, you wantleads to the expected website. Additionally, ensure the account wasn'hasn't hacked:been doescompromised by checking the language usedused—does it seem legit?appropriate? Does the signature make sense? Are theythere askingany youunusual 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
doseeanythingtheirstrange?destinationLast,before clicking. If theattachment.URLWhatappearsissuspicious or doesn't match thefiletypeexpectedextension,destination, do not click it. Be cautious of unexpected attachments, even from known contacts. While .zip files,zip, .exe files,exe, .msimsi,files,and .html files areallredflags.flags, .pdf, .jpg.jpg, and .pngare allusuallysafe andfiles arenotgenerallyredsafe.flagsHowever,onremaintheir own. However be wary of these attachmentscautious ifthere areother red flagsonare present in the email. -
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. -
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.