A couple from the US were devastated when they called their broker to find out that the $500 000 they had wired had not arrived. In fact the broker had not even requested funds. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the email that they had received with the fund request had come from an email address that was just one letter off from their broker’s. The money that they had wired was now sitting in a scammer’s account.

What made the email so convincing was that it included relevant details. The email not only looked like it had come from their broker, but it sounded like it to. So much so, the couple didn’t even pause to double check the email address. How did the criminals construct such a believable email?  They had done their homework. They had gained access to the couple’s email and used information from previous messages to construct the fake one.

The sophistication of this attack goes beyond just sending a fake email. Once the criminals knew the money was on its way, they jammed the couple’s internet access and diverted some phone messages so they couldn’t contact authorities and stop the wire. These are tactics that were once reserved for large organizations but are now being used on the regular consumer. You can no longer sit back and feel assured that your simple little life isn’t a target for criminals. Today, EVERYONE is a target.

To protect yourself, do no rely on being able to identify a fake email.  Scammers are getting better and better at creating emails that look perfectly legitimate. Instead, call the email sender to verify the legitimacy of any email that makes a request for money or personal information.  Even if you are expecting that email, it is better to be safe than sorry. Just remember to use a phone number that you have used before and you know is legitimate . Be safe. Pick up the phone and call.