By Brian J. Stone
2015-12-16
Everyone with an email address has had at least one of those scam emails at some point in time. In fact, it's likely that you've received several…every day. But as time goes on, we're recognising these emails as scams less and less since the techniques that hackers and cyber criminals use to gain access to your accounts and personal information are becoming more complex and difficult to spot. It may be that a hacker has gained access to a friend's email account, they may have cloned an account you'd normally trust an email from, or it may simply be a copy and pasted email from a brand you wouldn't think twice about opening that has a malicious link or attachment.

Fearing for their consumers' online safety, Data Label have put together an infographic highlighting the ways that email scams can work along with some tips on how you can avoid them as best you can. They recommend:

1. Avoiding clicking on any links or downloading any attachments you're unsure of or weren't expecting.
2. Making sure that your antivirus software and browser are up to date and that you're using a spam filter on your email account.
3. Watching out for poor grammar and spelling in the email message or email address.
4. Never give your details to anyone online via email – a bank will never ask for your PIN and no one should ask for your password via email.
5. If you have already been caught out, report the scam to the relevant company or an official body.

Online Scams & How To Avoid Them

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