Be wary of emails threatening account deletion or claiming urgency
If an email claims that your account will be blocked or even deleted, you should pay particular attention. Such warnings are among the most common methods used by fraudsters to put you under pressure and prompt you to click quickly.
Email accounts are a popular target because they represent the gateway to many other services. For example, numerous websites send
In addition, attackers can use your compromised mailbox to place orders under your identity, unsettle contacts, or even try to exert pressure or blackmail with captured messages. This procedure is called phishing and is frighteningly successful, especially in the hectic everyday work.
Currently, particularly convincingly designed messages are circulating, allegedly informing you about a full mailbox, an expired password, or an alleged security problem. If you click on the link provided, either a fake login page appears or additional files are downloaded onto mobile devices.
As soon as you enter your password on such a fake page, access is usually lost immediately. The attackers take over the email account and gain a wide range of opportunities to cause further damage.
Bonus Tip:
How to recognize suspicious links in emails
Phishing emails often appear legitimate, but they use links that lead to fake websites. Before clicking on a button or text link, you should always check where it actually leads.
On the Computer (Mac & PC)
Move the mouse pointer without clicking over the button or link. Most email programs will then display the real destination address, either at the bottom of the screen or directly in a tooltip window.
If the address does not match the alleged sender or seems unusual, you should not open the link.
On a Smartphone (iPhone)
Press and hold your finger on the button or link for one to two seconds (pressing too briefly would instead open the link directly, which we want to avoid).
A preview will appear showing the full internet address, often along with a small thumbnail of the page. If the address seems suspicious to you, cancel the process immediately.
Pay Attention to the Domain
The most important part of a web address is the domain. Scammers often use addresses that look very similar to real sites. Small differences are enough to disguise a
fake page:
- From sparklasse.de to sparklasse-secure.com
- From t-online.de to t–online-login.net
- From amazon.de to amaz0n-support.help (zero instead of O)
- From paypal.com to paypaI.com (capital I instead of lowercase L)
If you are unsure, always access important websites such as banks, parcel services or online shops directly in your browser via the known address (not via links in emails).
