The other morning, I opened my inbox and saw a message that practically shouted, “We’ve prepared a surprise for you!” And it looked like it came from Costco. Free Pyrex containers, it said. Limited-time offer. Just click this link to claim your gift.
Now, I like a good set of glass containers as much as the next guy, but something about this email didn’t sit right. The sender address looked odd: a string of numbers followed by “@amazonses.com,” which sounded more like a barcode than an email address. And the link they wanted me to click? It didn’t go to Costco—it went to a site called “corporate-screening.com.”
That’s when I hit delete and thought, This would be a great time to talk about email spam.
Not too long ago, spam emails were easy to spot. They were full of typos, promised riches from royalty in faraway lands, or asked you to wire money to some foreign bank account. These days, email scams have gotten much smarter and sneakier. Many times, messages appear to be from companies you trust. They use real logos, your name, and convincing formatting. Others pretend to be order confirmations or overdue invoices, hoping you’ll click before you think.
So, how do you tell the difference between something real and something risky?
First, ask yourself: Were you expecting the email? If it’s a surprise receipt, prize, or warning from a company you’ve never dealt with, take a second to give it a closer look. Check who the message is really from. Don’t just look at the name at the top. Click or tap to see the actual email address. A message from “[email protected]” is one thing. One from “[email protected]” or “[email protected]” is something else entirely. These are spam addresses. They are hoping you won’t notice or check, but if you do, they appear legitimate enough to convince you the email is real.
Also, keep an eye out for pressure tactics. Scammers love to get you worked up. If a message says, “Act now or your account will be suspended,” or “Final notice: pay immediately,” it’s likely a scam. They’re counting on you being too worried to double-check.
One of the most important habits you can develop is to hover over any link before clicking on it. If you’re using a mouse, just place your pointer over the link without clicking. You’ll usually see the web address pop up at the bottom of your screen. If it leads to a suspicious site, such as one you don’t recognize or one that ends in an unfamiliar extension like “.ru” or “.top,” don’t click.
It’s also worth paying attention to the language. Emails that start with “Dear Customer” or ones filled with poor grammar and unusual phrasing are usually signs of a scam. Big companies don’t write like that, and they usually call you by name.
That email I mentioned earlier, the one with the Pyrex containers? It hit all the red flags. The subject line was vague, the sender was sketchy, and the link had nothing to do with Costco. If I’d clicked, at best, I’d be buried in more spam. Worst case, I’d land on a fake checkout page asking for my credit card number. That’s a lot of risk for some imaginary glass containers.
So what can you do to protect yourself? Maybe even reduce the spam that lands in your inbox in the first place?
First, don’t post your email address publicly online unless you have to. Spammers use automated tools that scrape websites looking for anything that ends in “@.” Second, be cautious when signing up or entering your information. Online contests, sketchy shopping sites, or “free giveaways” are often just fishing for confirmed email addresses to sell to other scammers. Consider using a separate email address for online purchases and newsletter sign-ups, one that you can ignore if it becomes overloaded.
Most email services today, like Gmail, Yahoo, Apple Mail, and Outlook, have built-in spam filters. They work automatically to keep junk out of your inbox. But here’s the trick: those filters get smarter the more you use them. So, instead of just deleting a spam message, click that “Mark as Spam” button. It teaches your email provider what to watch out for and helps keep future junk away. Deleting an email doesn’t do that.
So, what’s the difference? “Delete” simply removes the email from your account. “Mark as Spam” removes it and tells your email program to block similar messages in the future. If it’s clearly spam, mark it as such. If it’s a real company and you’re just tired of their emails, look for the unsubscribe link—but only if you’re sure the message is legitimate.
Already getting too much spam? Clean out your junk folder now and then, just in case something sketchy slips through. Also, check your spam folder for false alarms. Sometimes, real messages get caught by mistake. If you do come across a truly shady email, you can report it to your email provider or, if you’re feeling civic-minded, to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Email spam might be digital, but it’s a lot like junk mail in your mailbox. You’ll never be able to stop it completely, but you can manage it. With a little skepticism, a few good habits, and a trusty spam filter, you’ll stay one step ahead of the scammers.
And hey, you know the saying: if it’s too good to be true, it usually is. Over the years, I’ve gotten pretty good at sniffing spam emails out. With a bit of practice and diligence, you can too.
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SIDEBAR: SMISHING UPDATE – THE DMV IS NOT TEXTING YOU
Earlier this year, I wrote about “smishing”—those scam text messages that try to trick you into clicking a shady link. Well, they haven’t gone away. In fact, I recently got one that claimed to be from the California DMV.
The message said I had an unpaid ticket and would face license suspension, fines, and even legal trouble if I didn’t pay by a certain date. It listed an official-sounding “Administrative Code 15C-16.003” and linked to a site at dmv.gov-klw.wang/pay.
That’s not the DMV. That’s a scam.
The real DMV doesn’t send texts like this, and they certainly don’t ask for payment over suspicious links. This message was designed to scare me into clicking before I had time to think. If you ever get something like this, don’t reply, don’t click, and definitely don’t pay.
The rules for smishing are the same as email spam: pause, inspect, and delete.
