Email scams

I know many of you will already know this, but here is some advice for emails you might get supposedly from your bank.

The main goal of a phishing email is to get you to a site where you
will provide your personal information. With these basic, but powerful,
clues, you can easily recognize the threat and ensure the safety of your
identity and finances.

1. Does the email ask you to go to a website and verify personal
information? Banks won't ask you to verify your personal information in
response to an email.

2. What is the tone of the mail? Most phish emails convey a sense of
urgency by threatening discontinued service or information loss if you
don't take immediate action.

3. What is the quality of the email? Many phish emails have
misspellings, bad grammar, or poor punctuation.

4. Are the links in the email valid? Deceptive links in phishing
emails look like they are to a valid site, but deliver you to a fraudulent
one. Many times you can see if the link is legitimate by just moving
your mouse over the link.

5. Is the email personalized with your name and applicable account
information? Many phish emails use generic salutations and generic
information (e.g. "Dear Customer" or "Dear Account Holder") instead of your
name.

6. What is the sender's email address? Many phish emails come from an
email address not from the company represented in the email.

7. When in doubt, type it out. If you suspect an email to be phishing,
don't click on any links in the email. Type the valid address
directly into your web browser.