Emails are as essential as the internet. However, you must also know the other side of email communication. You should know that not every email you receive is trustworthy. Some can be phishing attempts, spam, or even malicious attacks. So, it’s crucial to learn to verify the email source to check its reliability. Here’s a simple guide to help you navigate how to check if your email sources are reliable.
How to Check if Your Email Sources are Reliable?
Verify the Sender's Email Address
One of the first steps in assessing an email's genuineness is to check the sender's email address. Legitimate entities usually use official email domains.
Why does it matter?
A reliable email from a known company will often come from a professional domain, such as @companyname.com. Be wary of addresses that use free email services like @gmail.com or @yahoo.com for professional correspondence. Scammers use email addresses that look almost legitimate but have slight variations or extra characters. For example, you may receive an email from ttata@gmail.com - if you don't look closely at it, you can mistake it for the Tata Group. Here's another thing, giants like Tata Group never use Gmail to email.
So, always check the email domain carefully - especially when you are to revert. Another example: If you receive an email claiming to be from Amazon, but the address reads amazon_customerservice@gmail.com, it’s a red flag. You can also cross-check the email domain with the official website.
Examine the Subject Line & Body
The subject line and content of the email can provide significant clues about its legitimacy. Reliable emails usually have clear, relevant subject lines and content that makes sense.
Why?
Phishing emails often have urgent or sensational subject lines to grab your attention, such as Immediate Action Required! or You have Won a Prize! The content may contain spelling or grammatical errors and be vague or generic.
What to do?
Look for professionalism in the subject line and body. Genuine companies take care to ensure their communications are well-written. If the email is filled with typos, unusual formatting, or seems oddly generic, report it.
Check for Personalization
Reliable emails often address you personally, using your name and other details that indicate a prior interaction.
Why?
Scammers typically send bulk emails. They also don't have your personal details unless stolen earlier. An email that starts with - Dear Valued Customer - instead of your actual name might be a sign of phishing.
What can you do?
If the email claims to be from a service you use, it should include personalized information. Remember, lack of personalization is a red flag.
Look at the Email’s Language & Tone
The language and tone of an email can reveal a lot about its authenticity. Professional emails maintain a consistent & appropriate tone.
Why?
Emails from genuine sources will generally be courteous, respectful, and to the point. Phishing emails, on the other hand, might use overly formal or oddly informal language. They might also try to scare you into taking immediate action.
What to do?
Pay attention to how the email is written. If the tone feels off or the email seems to pressure you into making hasty decisions - it’s worth being skeptical.
Check the Links & Attachments
Phishing emails often contain malicious links or attachments designed to steal your information or harm your device.
Why?
Hovering over links without clicking can show you the actual URL. If it looks suspicious or doesn’t match the purported sender’s domain - don’t click. Attachments, especially from unknown sources, can contain malware.
What to do?
Always be cautious with links and attachments. Verify the URL by hovering over the link to see if it matches the supposed sender’s website. If you are unsure, go directly to the website by typing the URL into your browser instead of clicking the link.
Look for Contact Information & Signatures
Authentic emails from reputable organizations include contact information and a signature from the sender.
Why?
Phishing emails often lack detailed contact information or a proper signature. They might include generic phrases like Customer Support Team without real names or direct contact details.
What to do?
Check for a proper signature at the end of the email, which should include the sender’s name, position, and contact details. If these elements are missing or seem vague - it’s a warning sign.
Consider the Timing & Context
Think about the timing and context of the email. Does it make sense that you would receive this email at this time?
Why?
Scammers often send emails that seem out of the blue or unrelated. For example, if you receive an email about an account you haven’t used in years, it’s worth questioning its validity.
What to do?
Reflect on whether the email aligns with your recent activities or communications. If something feels out of place, it’s better to be cautious.
Conclusion
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