If It Smells Like a Hoax, It's Probably a Hoax
How to Sniff Out an Email Hoax or Scam
These days there is quite a surplus of email hoaxes. Just when you think no one can outsmart you, you receive the heartfelt email from a mother about her child who just needs a little money toward a big operation. And you want to cave. But it's probably a hoax. Even worse, it's probably a hoax designed to swindle you out of some of your hard-earned dough. Here are some tips for detecting Email Hoaxes.
Email Hoaxes
It's probably an Email Hoax if:
- It includes any of the following or similar statements:
- "Forward this to everyone you know!"
- "Forward this to get a FREE..." or
- "This is NOT a hoax."
- The text seems manipulative or overly persuasive, emotional or desperate in tone.
- The email makes serious claims or gives emphatic warnings you cannot verify through a reputable source.
- In the case of an email reportedly from a verifiable company or well-known person (like Bill Gates), there is no mention of the content on the company's website (do not follow links inside the email to verify them; they might be fake websites-read about Phishing below)
- It's packed with fear-inducing warnings or information (always verify crime or health scare emails with a reputable law enforcement or medical associations).
- There is no standard professional signature from the sender.
- The sender has gone overboard with exclamation points (!!!!!) or UPPERCASE LETTERS.
- You are promised large sums of money.
- Your common sense tells you it's probably a hoax.
- The message seems too good to be true.
- The email has been forwarded over and over (and over).
Phishing Scams
You may or may not have heard the term "phishing" in regard to a very specific type of email scam that's on the rise. With a phishing scam, the scam artist actually impersonates a company or corporation via email-sometimes even creating and including a link to a phony website-and requests personal information, such as Social Security Numbers, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, passwords, etc., in order to use them for fraudulent, identity-theft-type activities.
It's probably a Phishing Scam that could lead to an Identity Theft crime if:
- You receive an unsolicited email requesting personal information, including passwords, account numbers, Social Security Numbers, etc. Email is not a secure way of sending any of this information, so legitimate companies will never request this type of information via email.
- You receive an unsolicited email from a company you patronize asking for account information via email or linking you to a website-no matter how authentic it appears to be-that requests this information (there are several out there right now pretending to be PayPal and Citibank; some local banks and credit unions recently had issues with phishing scams as well).
- You can't verify the email's offer or claim on the company's website (remember to use the true company URL, not a link from the email).
When in doubt about an email's legitimacy, don't act. Never send personal information like account numbers and passwords via email. If you receive a questionable email from a company you patronize, call that company direct at a phone number you find in a reputable phone directory. Many companies allow you to report such fraudulent emails through their website as well. Just remember to use a URL (or phone number) you usually use and not one from the email in question.
For additional information on email hoaxes and scams, visit Snopes.com. Snopes.com is a well-known Internet resource that can be used for validating or debunking suspected hoaxes or scams, as well as other popular Internet rumors, email forwards, urban legends and other questionable American pop culture tales.
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