Everybody knows they are out there: scams. You try to be careful but do you know the signs that you’re about to be scammed? Here are 10 to look out for.
1. Disembodied Links
Bit.ly or shortened links that don’t display the actual address, and hyperlinked text can be indications of a scam. If you cannot tell where the link came from or really is. A good rule of thumb is if in doubt, do not click it. For some help, browsers like Google Chrome can show you a link’s full address by hovering over the link.
2. Inordinate Number of Recipients
If there seem to be an extremely large amount of e-mail addresses receiving the same e-mail you should begin to wonder and consider whether this e-mail is a scam. Also, if the e-mail seems to be directed at one person despite the number of recipients your scam senses should begin tingling.
3. Vague, Generic or Nonexistent Subject Lines
If you don’t recognize the e-mail address you should immediately be on watch out. It isn’t unusual for friends to exchange e-mails with no subject, but from any other e-mail or subject line that is vague or generic like “Fwd: private” or “Free to look!” you can bet it is probably a scam.
4. Intense Enthusiasm
Do you get annoyed when you get e-mails that are in ALL CAPS?!?! Well it is more than just annoying, it is also a good indication of a possible scam. Extra enthusiastic with all caps and large amounts of exclamation points are strong signs that the e-mail contains false information.
5. Grammar and Spelling
Have you ever felt it odd that a company would send out an e-mail with spelling and grammar mistakes? We do to – and it often can mean a scam. You are right to believe it odd that nobody checked for spelling errors from a reputable company or bank. Some scammers will purposely misspell words to avoid spam filters and detectors. For example replacing an “a” with an “@” symbol or an “i” with a “1.”
