Beware of Email Scams During the Recession

Anyone who owns an email account can be targeted with electronic mail scams. These fraudulent messages come in many forms and do not always use the same subject to try and rope people into the scheme. You might think that detecting a scam should be easy if it is sent from a sender you don’t recognize and what is being said sounds bogus or too good to be true. While it is accurate to say that some con-emails are certainly easy to spot, you would be surprised at how difficult others are to catch.

For instance, although you may be anticipating an e-mail that claims you’ve won a trip, some scams are not so obvious. It is actually not that uncommon to receive fake mail that appears to be from a company you do business with or your bank. In the letter you may be alerted to a problem regarding your account, a request for you to update your information, a promotional offer, etc. You are told to click the link provided in the e-message and make the necessary changes to your personal info and so on.

Of course, the site you end up on is completely phony (but rest assured it looks quite legitimate). Once you provide the data that is requested you will later discover that what has actually happened is your account details have been stolen and the individual who took them used it to gain access to your money.

This is only one of the easy-to-fall-for emailing cons that you can encounter. Other ones you really need to watch out for, particularly during the recession. are those that offer you:

- Fast money – get rich quick schemes are a favorite among those who like scamming. Usually you are offered some type of easy work-from-home job that promises quick work and fast payouts. The catch is you have to pay to obtain the workbook or items you will need for your task.

- Debt relief – You can reduce and eliminate your debts fast by consolidating all of your bills into a single monthly payment without having to borrow. You can also stop foreclosure, repossession, garnishment and tax levies.

Anytime you encounter any suspicious webmail, regardless if it is from a sender you recognize or not, take the time to investigate it before you trust its contents. There is an online tool that allows you to search for emails to find email address information on the owner. Thus, make sure you check out the sender’s e-address to find out who they are and if they can be trusted.