As technology evolves, knowing how to identify and protect yourself against new email scams has become very important.
As part of our effort to improve digital literacy, we’re sharing 10 types of scam emails to watch out for in 2025. Awareness of these latest tactics is your best defense.
1. Urgent Email From An Unrecognizable Address
If an unfamiliar address sends you an email urging you to click a link, download something, or otherwise act urgently, this is a red flag.
If you receive an email like this, pause and think before engaging. Scammers often pose as banks, service providers, or tech companies to trick you into responding.
How To Protect Against This
While not every unfamiliar email address belongs to a scammer, treat unknown addresses with caution. Generally, it is best to avoid clicking links or downloading attachments. When in doubt, don’t engage; delete or report.
2. Links Asking You To Sign Back Into Your Email
Some scam emails masquerade as security alerts from your email provider and typically claim there is suspicious activity on your account or a security update.
Whatever the excuse is, it’ll be something urgent to trick you into clicking a “sign back in” link or entering your credentials into a fake login page. Once you do, the scammer will have access to your information, account, and possibly even your device itself.
What makes these emails dangerous is that they often mimic the look and feel of trusted services like Gmail and Outlook, and the links can lead to pages that look legitimate.
How To Protect Against This Never click “sign back in” links from unsolicited emails. Instead, log out and manually sign back into your email provider.
3. Odd Use of Language In A Scam Email
Scam emails often originate from outside the U.S. and may include awkward phrasing or unnatural word choices. While scammers now use AI tools to make their messages more convincing, spotting grammar issues is still a good way to identify a scam.
Many mass scam emails are actually quite poorly written. You might notice sentences that feel off, words that don’t quite fit, or a tone that is rather stiff and robotic.
Not all scammers are careless, and some are very sophisticated. Nevertheless, your average scam message often contains these types of subtle red flags.
How To Protect Against This
Read carefully. If an email sounds “off” or doesn’t match how a real company or person would communicate, it’s a good reason to be suspicious. When something feels wrong, trust your gut.
4. Scam Email with An Unusual URL
Scam emails often rely on links that look legitimate at first glance but contain subtle red flags in the URL. Common red flags include extra characters, misspellings (like “g00gle.com”), random strings, or odd domain extensions like .info or .click.
Scammers use these tricks to mimic real websites while directing you to dangerous ones.
How To Protect Against This
Hover over links before clicking to preview the full URL. If anything looks off, don’t click. When in doubt, visit the official website by manually searching for it before logging in.
5. PDFs Attached To A Scam Email You Don’t Recognize
Scam emails with PDF attachments are typically designed to look like invoices or urgent alerts from real companies.
These emails can include personal details, such as your name, address, and even a photo of your home. Scammers harvest this information from data breaches, social media, and data broker websites.
When it comes to photos of your home, scammers exploit publicly available images from online mapping services like Google Maps and Street View through automated tools and scripts.
How To Protect Against This
Be cautious with any unexpected PDF, especially if it comes from a sender you don’t recognize. Never click links or respond unless you’ve verified the source.
6. You Receive a Threatening Scam Email
Some email scams use fear to push you into action, whether by claiming you’re under investigation, have been subpoenaed, or that you owe legal fees.
Moreover, threatening scam emails often include links to fake “case portals” that ask you to upload documents or sign in to verify your identity. In reality, these pages are designed to steal your personal information or login credentials.
A current tactic to be aware of is the Pegasus Spyware scam, where the sender says they’ve hacked your device and recorded you performing something illegal or compromising. It’s a form of blackmail in which they demand payment in exchange for keeping the supposed footage or information private.
How To Protect Against This
Don’t panic or respond directly. If an email threatens you, contact a legal professional, and if the message appears to be from a specific organization, visit their official website or call their main support line. Don’t use any contact info provided in the email itself.
7. Scam Emails That Come From Real Domains
Some of the most convincing scam emails come from what appear to be real, trusted domains, e.g., [email protected]. Scammers get away with using these domains by exploiting system vulnerabilities and compromised accounts.
The body of the email typically urges you to contact “support” or click a link for help. The goal is either to convince you to allow remote access to your device or to enter login credentials on a fake support page, giving the scammer access to your information.
How To Protect Against This
Even if the sender’s address looks legitimate, don’t trust it blindly. Hover over links to see where they actually lead, and avoid clicking anything if the email feels off.
If in doubt, visit the company’s official website directly or contact their support team through a verified channel.
8. Unpaid Fees Email Scam
Email scams that claim you have unpaid fees are often cleverly crafted to look official, as they borrow branding from real agencies. This type of email scam always includes an urgent notice saying you owe a specific amount.
In some versions, you may even be warned about added fees or vehicle penalties if you don’t respond immediately.
The goal is to catch you off guard, pressure you to act fast, and get you to click a link to a fake payment portal.
How To Protect Against This
Don’t click on links in messages you didn’t expect. Go directly to the agency’s official website and call their real support number to confirm whether you actually owe anything.
9. Unusual Google Drive Notification Scam Email
Fake Google Drive notifications are a relatively new type of email scam. How they work is straightforward but nevertheless dangerous and tricky since scammers exploit weaknesses in Google Drive’s collaboration and notification features.
You’ll get an email that looks like someone has shared a document with you, and then once you click the link or open the document, you’ll be led to a phishing page that asks for your Google login credentials—or malware could be downloaded onto your device.
How To Protect Against This
If you weren’t expecting a shared file, don’t click the link. Go directly to your Google Drive and check for new activity. If nothing is there, report the message and delete it.
10. Email Scams That Ask You To Sign Something
E-signature scams are becoming more common as services like DocuSign, PandaDoc, and Dropbox Sign see wider use. What makes these scams especially troubling is they piggyback on the reputation of legitimate companies.
It’s worth noting that e-signature providers are actively working to detect and block abuse of their systems. Still, scammers are constantly finding new ways to mimic real requests and deceive users.
Typically, these emails will look like real document requests asking you to sign, review, or respond to something time-sensitive. Some of these emails will also include QR codes that redirect you to phishing sites or trigger malware downloads.
How To Protect Against This
As with most of the tips in this list, staying vigilant and thinking before you click is your best line of defense. If you weren’t expecting a document, don’t rush to open it.
What To Do With Suspicious Emails
When you’re busy at work or with family or friends, it’s easy to ignore a sketchy email or two and just delete them without thinking about it. However, most email providers make it simple to report phishing emails, and taking that extra step can be very helpful.
If you get a suspicious email, mark it as spam or phishing. This helps block similar messages in the future by alerting your email provider’s security system to the threat.
Identify and Protect Yourself Against Email Scams – Conclusion
The best way to identify and protect yourself against email scams is to stay informed and vigilant. Scammers are constantly evolving their tactics, but a little awareness goes a long way in keeping your personal information safe.
At Wecom Fiber, serving our customers goes beyond delivering lightning-fast fiber optic internet solutions. We’re committed to keeping our communities informed, connected, and safe online through our focus on digital literacy and weekly updates via Wecom Weekly.
We also provide helpful News & Insights that keep our customers current with the latest trends.
