Beware of Emails
I would like to encourage a healthy amount of skepticism as you read through your daily emails. As we become more and more dependent on our digital conveniences, bad actors become more and more clever about stealing from us.
Most of us have received emails supposedly from wealthy individuals in other continents who would generously reward us for helping them transfer funds. But recently, scammers have figured out how to disguise their identities so that you believe you’re reading something from a trusted friend or colleague. Here are some ways that you can protect against loss:
- BE SUSPICIOUS
- Check the email address
- If the email address looks okay, click reply but DON’T SEND*
- Don’t click on anything in the message
- If you’re still in doubt, contact the individual another way (phone, another device)
*Sometimes the scammers can disguise their reported address, but the REPLY address shows who it’s really going to.
It’s very easy to get fooled by the scammers. But with a little effort, you can thwart their schemes.
Here are a few examples of spam that I’ve received lately:
Joel Pollard is the Business Manager for the Arlington and Alexandria Districts.