Spammers!
Ooh, they do get on my nerves! But more importantly, they can cause absolute havoc in your personal and business life! So when I received a spam email in my Junk folder today I thought I would share how I knew it was spam, as I quite often get queries from my clients on potential spam emails and if I can stop just one person from being ripped off by these unscrupulous people then I will be pleased
This is the email I got sent, which looks very official using the Siteground logo, however, when I hovered over the From section it showed me it was from an email address "info@bankid***"
Funnily enough, Siteground doesn't use that email address!!
By looking at the URL of the website, it shows as "siteground.vittoriobassi.com/***" which I've pointed to as you can see in the image below
This link will be easier to see on a laptop or desktop pc but may not be so clear on your mobile so if you open your emails on your phone be extra careful.
Now I guessed it was a spam email as I know my domain isn't up for renewal until next year. But if you're not so bothered about tech, knowing when your domain is renewing probably isn't high on your agenda!
Had I gone ahead and filled in this form with my card details and CVV code, who knows what harm and disruption they could have caused to my bank account!!
Recommended Action
Here are my recommended actions to prevent spam email from affecting you...
1. If you receive any kind of dodgy emails that include a pay now button or some kind, PLEASE check who the email is from by moving your mouse over the From section or clicking the down arrow next to From to reveal the sender details.
Your domain and host providers will always use their name in the email address for example Siteground's email address is noreply@siteground.com
2. If you're unsure, log into your host or domain account using your known and trusted email address and password, check when the renewal date is there and pay directly with the company that way - if it is up for renewal which it possibly won't be
3. If it is spam - move the email into your Spam folder, that way your email service learns what emails are potentially harmful and may automatically move future messages to the spam folder. The email service also receives a copy of the email, which may be analysed to help protect other users from spam.
I hope that helps you spot a spam email and stay safe, there are some horrible people out there but together we can stop their attempts!
Hugs
Sarah x
