For many of us our workday starts by checking email. It’s essentially a morning ritual for the majority of professionals, but can you identify spam email? We all follow our own selected email newsletters for news or industry tip. And there are the usual emails waiting to be read from co-workers, employees, customers, and maybe even partners at the distribution center. Same ole, same ole.

But, wait? What is this? "Your domain is about to expire, and we haven’t received your payment!” No, it’s not. IT'S SPAM! And not the kind in a can! Your account on OMGautofactsOMG got hacked? No, it didn’t and that’s probably not even a real website. 

Today, with the mass migration to digital, the explosion of social media, and easy access to technology, spammers have more resources than ever before to try and draw in your attention. So, how in a world full of spammers, do we stay safe and alert? Here are the five most important things to look for when you think IT'S SPAM!

Did the Email End Up in Your Spam Folder?

Now, this may seem like common sense, but we need to mention it. Why? Because the number of people who look through their spam folder is immeasurable. So, first things first, if an email was sent to your spam folder, there is a pretty good chance that it belongs there.

Emails you need will appear in your inbox nearly all of the time, so don’t go digging in your spam folder unless you specifically know you should have received a certain email, can’t find it in your inbox, and you know the company/email address it was sent from.

How Does the Email Look in Your Inbox?

What does the sender’s email address look like? Is there a specific name that is referenced to a legitimate company - for example, [email protected]? Or does it look a little off, including a long string of letters or numbers that don’t really make sense? What is the email service before the .com or .net? If [email protected] is sending you an email asking you to send your personal information for your car loan to go through, IT'S SPAM!

Now, check out the subject of the email? Do they offer a real business name? Probably not, but if by chance they do, don’t trust the email just yet. A lot of spammers tend to use greetings within the subject that include your website domain name, not the name of your business or your name. For example, abc123tires.com instead of ABC123 Tires, LLC. This is a trick to make themselves look trustworthy when in reality they’re a spammer.

What Does the Content Look Like?

If it happens to pass number one and two, take a look at the content of the email. The first thing to take note on is the grammar. Professionals who are hired to send email blasts to prospective and current customers check their grammar and spelling 100 times before clicking send. If the grammar looks funky and words are misspelled, there is a good chance, IT'S SPAM!

Next, does the content specifically include a note that they are NOT a spammer? This is quite funny and ironic, but means the email is most likely spam. A perfect example is from an email one of our Net Driven customers received:

The above copy above is from a real email. FIRST, note the terrible use of language that leaves you rereading the short sentences in confusion. SECOND, the fact that they are taking the time to tell you they are not a spammer, 99% of the time, means IT'S SPAM. 

Another thing to keep in mind is the use of their company or business name within the email. If they didn’t mention it in the subject line or within the email content, don’t trust the email. This gets overlooked very easily. 'But they are a Digital Marketing Professional', you say. Sure, what was the name of their company again? Oh yeah, they forgot to mention that. How very convenient.

Does the Email Ask for Personal Information?

Most, if not all, trusted-legitimate companies will not ask for any type of personal information through an email. That is what secure, encrypted forms are for. So, no one but that specific company get can their hands on your information.

Also, if you have past experience with a business, they don’t need your personal information because they most likely have it stored in their company database. Keep this in mind. No matter how legitimate an email may seem, DON'T give any of your personal information, EVER. This includes through links included in shady-looking emails, too!

Is It Too Good To Be True? Is It Too Nerve-Wracking To Ignore?

Are you kind and willing to donate to charities? Spammers pose as them. Do you fear certain threats affecting you online? Spammers create fake ones and ask you to download 'protection' that causes more harm than good. Could you use a little more cash in your pocket or funds in your account? Free giveaways and incentives for giving your personal information target those who believe they have won something. Are you single and looking for love? Spammers jump right on that bandwagon, too! Do you just have a terrible memory? Spammers craft their emails to use that against you through shined up language and offers that are too good to be true.

One example is the use of RE: in the subject line of emails. Many spammers use this to make you think they previously talked to you or have emailed you before.

Above is an example of how spammers play on human emotion. You don’t want your website taken down, you don’t want overdue fees, and you don’t want a bad credit score. And just like that, you are ready to send your information. DON’T DO IT! 

Looking for key indicators like the ones BOLDED in the example above can help identify spam sooner than later. If you’re a customer of any business they will have services and specific employees within their company to contact you about any issues that arise. If you look at the content above, there is no company named, the grammar is terrible, and WHY would the website developer be contacting you about payment?

Now that you know the top five things to look for when you suspect spam, what should you do when it is spam? How do you respond? Follow these five steps. 

• If you suspect, IT'S SPAM, do not click any links included in the email, EVER. It only takes seconds for a virus or malware to sweep your system.

• DO NOT reply to a spam email. If the email prompts you to reply with any sort of personal information or response, do not do it. Spammers use your reply to harvest your email address in their system because they now know it's a real, active email account.

• DO NOT unsubscribe. In cases of regular promotional emails from legitimate sources, go ahead and unsubscribe if you don't want to receive information from that company. In spam cases, NEVER hit unsubscribe. WHY? The word unsubscribe can be linked to a threatening site that may affect your computer. Also, the unsubscribe may just be included to try to fake out spam filters. Spam emails are sent to tens of thousands, even millions of email addresses, in the hope that a handful of recipients open them and enter the desired information or responses of spammers.

• Flag the email as spam. This way similar emails you receive in the future will be caught by your spam filter and will be automatically added to your spam folder.

• If you don’t already use a spam filter, start. This is probably the most important step that will save you a lot of time and worry. A spam filter protects your email and information against spammers. Make sure your spam settings are set correctly. If you are unsure or have questions about spam and filters, contact your email administrator or look to the frequently asked questions.

Spammers are clever and are always coming up with new ways to target their victims. So remember, if you are questioning an email or its contents, there is a good chance IT'S SPAM! Have questions? CLICK HERE to contact us.