7 Warning Signs of a Spam Email

For as long as we have been checking our email, we have been receiving spam emails. Spam email is unsolicited email that is not only obnoxious, but also potentially harmful. Not every spam email is picked up by your spam filter so there is a good chance you will encounter spam messages in your inbox. The following are 7 signs that an email might be spam mail.



Spam Email Example

 

1. Who is the email addressed to? If an email is not addressed to your email address specifically, there is a good chance it was sent as a mass email which is a possible sign of spam.

2. Who is the email from? Check the from email for a legitimate email address that includes the domain name of a company or institution. If the from email address is a random assortment of numbers and letters, there is a good chance it is spam.

3. Is the greeting legitimate? Email newsletters from companies and institutions generally address the recipient by name in the greeting. Generic greetings like “Hello” are usually a sign of spam.

4. Does the subject make sense? Sometimes spam emails have a nonsense subject or contain a URL that is not your website. If the subject makes no sense or contains an unfamiliar URL, it is most likely spam.

5. Check the domain: The domain name mentioned in the email should lead to the right website. If it forwards to a different domain, the email is most likely a spam message.

6. Grammar and spelling: Spammers do not take the time to make sure their emails contain correct spelling and grammar. There is a good chance an email with poor grammar and spelling is a spam email.

7. Look for a phone number: If there is no phone number or any contact information, the sender could be a spammer.

Unfortunately, there is no full proof way to stop spam emails and there is no way to “unsubscribe” to spam message you have already received. By looking for these 7 warning signs in suspicious emails, you can recognize and avoid spam. Read more about spam emails in our blog 7 Ways to Tell if an Email is Spam.