Part of my service offering is acting as a Virtual Administrator for my clients. This means being there when they need someone who is technically inclined. It can be anything from consulting, training and also just helping them with day to day tasks and questions.
Spammers Are Getting Better
Last week, a client was sent an email from GoDaddy, who she does have an account with. The email was designed exactly like a GoDaddy email. And the from address appeared as “support@godaddy.com”. The request in the email was the validate her email address, a simple request.
How to Check Hyperlinks Without Clicking
At first, everything looked like it was an official email from GoDaddy.
Until, I hovered over the “Validate Your E-Mail” button. As you can see in the screenshot, the hyperlink connected to the button was NOT directed to GoDaddy, but to a WordPress website.
When in Doubt, Ask for Help
Needless to say, my client forwarded me the email and asked if it was legitimate. No matter the request, if my clients have a strange feeling about an email, I ask they send it for my review.
Common Things to Check if an Email is Spam
- Spelling Errors
- From Address
- Customer Number
- Visual Formatting
- Hyperlinks
1. Spelling Errors
This is the easiest tell-tale sign of a spam email, and you can tell right away. If the subject line or any of the content has spelling/grammar mistakes – proceed with caution!
2. From Address
This used to be another easy one to check for spam, however now spammers can “mask” this address, as in this case.
3. Customer Number
If the email is legitimate, it should note your Full Name and/or Customer Number somewhere within the email.
4. Visual Formatting
If you have received emails from this source before and you notice that the formatting does not look consistent, it could be spam. It’s important to check for the header, footer and graphics.
5. Hyperlinks
If everything is lining up, and you’re still unsure if this is spam or not – hover your mouse over any buttons or links they are asking you to click. Then if the link directs you to anywhere except the supposed domain, this email is spam.
If you have checked all the above items and you are still unsure, you can forward the email to your virtual administrator or IT support representative. You can also call support of the supposed company and ask them if an email was sent to you. Make sure you get their email off of the website directly!
Don’t forget to join the conversation online on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for even more tips.
Until next time,
Deanna
