Almost everyone using the internet receives spam emails occasionally. These emails often aim to steal your bank details or trick you into sending money to scammers. However, rising awareness has made people more likely to laugh off and delete these emails.
With the old methods of email scamming becoming obsolete, scammers have upped their game. They are now personalizing emails to make them more believable, which even the best cybersecurity experts can struggle to detect.
Scammers start by selecting a target and gathering information about them, often by visiting their social media profiles. They look for a professional relationship important to the target, then create a duplicate email account to impersonate someone in a higher position. They craft convincing emails that might ask for work payments or small favors, like buying a gift card.
This system works because people are naturally ambitious and eager to build relationships with those in higher positions. Scammers exploit this desire by posing as superiors, making it easier to request small favors without needing extensive knowledge of the company.
To protect yourself from these scams, never reply to a suspected scam email, even as a joke, as it can make your email address more vulnerable to future spam. Always check the header details of emails, including the email address, to spot discrepancies that might indicate a scam. Lastly, always think before reacting to any email. If something seems off, take precautions to verify its authenticity.
