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There are many
telltale signs of a fraudulent email.
1.
1.
Sender's Email Address.
To give you a false sense of security, the “From”
line may include an official-looking email address that may actually
be copied from a genuine one. The email address can easily be
altered it’s not an indication of the validity of any email
communication.
2.
Generic Email Greeting.
A typical phishing email will have a generic
greeting, such as "Dear User".
Note: emails from legitimate institutions that require you to give
user and password information will greet you by your first and last
name.
3 3.
False Sense of Urgency.
Most phishing emails try to deceive you with the
threat that your account will be in jeopardy if it’s not updated
right away. An email that urgently requests you to supply sensitive
personal information is typically fraudulent.
4 4.
Fake Links.
Many phishing emails have a link that looks valid,
but sends you to a fraudulent site that may or may not have an URL
different from the link. Always check where a link is going before
you click. Move your mouse over the URL in the email and look at the
URL in the browser. As always, if it looks suspicious, don't click
it.
5. 5.
Attachments.
Similar to fake links, attachments can be used in
phishing emails and are dangerous. Never click on an attachment. It
could cause you to download spyware or a virus. Legitimate
institutions will never email you an attachment or a software update
to install on your computer.
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