It seems that in spite of a major ‘spam bust’ in October, the amount of junk coming to my email account continues to increase and I suspect you are experiencing the same phenomena.

Knowing how to spot spam is one of the best ways to increase your Internet safety, and we try to keep you up-to-date on new spam scams and as well as the general characteristics to always watch for – you can learn more on these recent posts Common e-mail scams, New Email Scams to Watch Out For, The ‘News Alert Scam’ or just use the site’s search function to find articles about spam.

Now I’ve got a confession to make, I actually enjoy a good new spam scam. They let me keep up with the latest angles criminals are using and I enjoy playing “spot-the-obvious-signs-of-fraud”.

I got an example today that is worth sharing. You should be able to find at least 9 pieces of evidence that this email is fraudulent. Click on the picture below to see the answers, but try your skills first. If you find all 9 you’re a pro with little to worry about, if you find fewer than 6 consider practicing on some more examples.

How well did you do? Click on the picture see the risks highlighted.

1. Bogus eBay address – they did not even spell ‘eBay’ properly.

2. The spammer does not even know your name – eBay would.

3. Again, the spammer does not address the email to you.

4. The email demands ‘urgent’ action on your part – they want you to act before you think.

5. There are spelling errors and the grammar is poor – they even misspell ‘debit’.

6. The spammer claims you have an invoice date (and an amount due) but they do not know when or how much.

7. They want you to click on the link (hint: when you click a link like this, you will be infected with malware). When you hover over a link in email, the address appears at the bottom of your screen. In this case it’s http://departmentebe.szm.sk/rux.htm....... no stretch of the imagination could convince someone that this is a legitimate address.

8. The email threatens you with consequences. No reputable company would ever contact you in this manner.

9. The biggest clue of all?? You have not made a recent purchase on eBay.

Want more practice? Check out: 1) The Imitator, 2) The Urgent Offer, 3) The Official Notice, 4) The Lottery, 5) The Survey

If you’re just sick and tired of the spam, click here to learn one way to block it all…

Linda