Account updates - These are clever scams which have links directing you to a website which mimics a genuine organizations site. The emails suggest that you need to follow the link in order to ‘update’ your account details. Once there you are asked to login with your username and password, and often you are also asked for your bank details.
Requests for your password – Often, spammers put very little effort into their emails and simple make a copy of a company logo, embed it into their email template and then blatantly ask you for your password. These usually come from companies claiming to be your bank, building society or Credit Card Company.
Too good to be true – How would you like a new iPad mini for only £10, or perhaps a trip to Disney World for only £50 per person? It sounds too good to be true doesn’t it? Well that’s because it is.
Cries for help – This is another common scam which takes advantage of people’s good nature. The con artists pretend to be someone vulnerable, often a young girl who is supposed to be trapped abroad because she doesn’t have enough money for the air fair home. Be very wary.
Congratulations – You’ve won – The only way you can win a competition is if you enter it in the first place. The golden rule here is that if you didn’t, then you’ve not won anything and it’s a good bet that they are trying to trick you into something that will win themselves a prize – i.e. your hard earned cash.
Attachments – If you get a message with an attachment, and the message simply tells you to open the attachment as the rest of the message is contained within, and you do this then you’re a silly-billy. It will almost certainly be a virus or malicious software.
‘Help me’ messages - These often come from family, or people on your contact list, usually asking you for money because they are stranded. While you may have relatives traveling, it's a good idea to reach out to them using other means of communication when you get an email like this. Be wary, especially if they don't want to give a phone number or exact location.
Bad English – Sadly, many of these types of scams come from abroad, and as such you can tell that they are not legitimate by the bad choice of words and grammar being used.
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