Most modern workplaces rely heavily on email for their operations. It forms an integral part of internal and external communications. Billions of emails are sent globally every day, making it a prime target for spam.
The National Cyber Security Centre launched the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) in 2010. And as of July 2024, more than 32 million suspicious emails had been reported.
Businesses across all sectors need to be mindful of the risks involved. They also need to know how to spot the typical giveaway signs of spam emails.
Understanding the Risks of Spam Emails
The impacts of spam emails can be vast and varied. If someone interacts with a message or clicks a link they shouldn’t, it could result in a data breach. This could mean sensitive information falls into the wrong hands. Corporate, personal, customer, and financial data can all be used for malicious purposes.
The effects of this can be significant. Customers can fall victim to fraud and identity theft through no fault of their own. Your business could also suffer reputational and financial damage. It’s estimated that the average cost of a breach for medium and large organisations is more than £10,000.
Common Signs of Spam Emails
- Unfamiliar sender: Check to see where the email has come from. If it’s from an unknown address, it could have been sent with malicious intent. Even if the address looks similar to the one you know, read it carefully to look for any minor differences.
- Mistakes: Spam emails often contain spelling or grammatical errors. Sometimes they are poorly formatted and lack the usual colleague or client signatures.
- Urgency: Many phishing emails will urge you to act quickly. This could be pressuring you to ‘pay now’ or ‘follow this link.’ If it seems unusual, err on the side of caution.
- Unexpected links and attachments: Always be careful with any emails that contain either of these. You should check files for virus before opening them, as they could contain malware that may harm your systems.
- Generic greetings: Most emails from contacts you know are likely to start by addressing you by name. Be wary of those that begin with ‘Hello’ or ‘Hi there.’ These will likely have been sent en masse to target as many people as possible.
Protect Yourself and Your Customers
Being aware of these red flags is the first step to guarding against potential issues. Regular employee training on the risks, how to spot them, and what to do in the event of a breach can also help. By raising awareness, you’ll be better placed to avoid grave consequences.
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