How do I spot fake websites or emails pretending to be from legitimate companies?

1. Look for signs of poor web/email design. Suspicious sites may contain numerous misspellings, wordy phrases, and odd graphics.
2. Check the About Us or contact pages of the website. A site that provides no information on its owners or services should not be trusted.
3. Gather as much information as possible about the vendor or company. If little information can be found, the company may be illegitimate.
4. Verify the legitimacy of domain names. Illegal domain names often contain multiple hyphens and/or numbers.
5. Be wary of emails that use a generic greeting or name. Legitimate emails generally begin with the user's first and last, or company's names.
6. Verify the email's return address. Unrecognized or suspicious return addresses should not be trusted.
7. Check for hyperlinks to websites. Be aware of misspelled words in URLs or vague wording that links to suspicious websites.
8. Do not click a link in an email. Instead, type the destination URL directly into the address bar.
9. Be cautious of the unsubscribe link that may lead you to a malicious website.
10. Beware of any emails or websites asking for personal or financial information.