Decoding the Authenticity: Distinguishing Genuine Emails from Scams – Unraveling the Mystery
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Inundated by a plethora of unsolicited phone calls, you've likely encountered the persistent intrusion of spam regarding your car's extended warranty. But what about the digital realm of your email inbox? Complicating matters further, with the strides made in artificial intelligence, distinguishing an email's origin from a human or machine becomes an intricate task. Social media strategist and expert Scott Kleinberg, in a recent conversation with WGN Radio's Bob Sirott, emphasized the critical need for meticulous reading of emails and texts. Kleinberg asserted, "In our online existence, we tend to scan rather than read, driven by the constraints of time."
As Kleinberg cautioned, neglecting careful perusal could result in overlooking crucial indicators that the content might be a fraudulent scheme. Ever encountered an email urging you to update your credit card details for a company? The prompt to log into an account for such action serves as a conspicuous red flag indicating potential scam territory.
Kleinberg underscores that reputable companies don't operate in this fashion, stating, "Receipt doesn't necessitate action, and therein lies the quandary—many succumb to such requests." He further outlines distinctive "tells" that expose a spam email, even when authored by an artificial intelligence. Language anomalies or irregular spacing between periods are highlighted as key red flags. Deviations in text or font type also contribute to suspicions.
For those who've undergone cybersecurity training, scrutinizing the originating email address of a suspicious email is common advice. Kleinberg advocates hovering over or clicking on the sender's name, emphasizing that an incongruent email address should be a glaring red flag, signaling potential malevolent intent.
Illustrating an example of a deceptive Delta Airlines email, Kleinberg elucidates that appearances can be deceiving. Though the email may mimic authentic correspondence, the underlying email address betrays its likely fraudulent nature. Succumbing to such scams could have severe repercussions. Sharing login credentials with a dubious account may compromise other accounts if the same credentials are reused, warns Kleinberg.
Expressing doubt about an email's authenticity prompts Kleinberg to recommend contacting the company directly or logging into the account to verify the legitimacy of the request. He emphasizes that reputable companies typically refrain from seeking personal information via email or text.
Last year, the Better Business Bureau raised an alert, noting that while older adults are susceptible to scams, younger adults, particularly Gen Z, suffer the most significant financial losses. The BBB provides a Scam Tracker, allowing individuals to report suspected scams and peruse others' reported incidents.