Recognizing spam scams

Generally, there are a few indicators that can help you identify spam (unsolicited emails) in your mailbox. If a message fulfills at least some of the following criteria, it is most likely spam:

•The sender's address does not belong to someone on your contact list.

•You are offered a large sum, but you have to provide a small sum first.

•You are asked to enter some of your personal data, such as bank account numbers, usernames, and passwords, under various pretenses (data verification, Financial operations).

•It is written in a foreign language.

•You are asked to buy a product you are not interested in. If you decide to purchase anyway, verify that the message sender is a reliable vendor (consult the original product manufacturer).

•Some of the words are misspelled in an attempt to trick your spam filter. For example, “vaigra” instead of “viagra”.