I’m not sure what’s changed, but as of late I seem to be receiving an increasing amount of spam. Random emails are invading my inbox at work, home and my social sites. In the rush to keep up with important notes, it’s easier than ever to fall prey to the scam artists and identity thieves who lurk online. So in case you aren’t sure, we did a little recon and here are a few of the more common things to weary of:

1. Uses scare tactics

• Threatens to delete your account
• Sets an unreasonable timeline – you must reply by tomorrow

2. Asks for too much information

• No reputable company will ask for your social insurance number, birth date, bank account number, or credit card number in an email

3. Asks for money

• Especially money that cannot be tracked, like cash or a cashier’s cheque

4. Makes an offfer you can’t resist

• “You’ve won our 1,000,000,000 dollar sweepstakes!”

5. Feels a little off

• Doesn’t refer to you by name
• Typos in the text
• Sender address is unfamiliar or has an unusual mix of numbers and words

Symantec Study Shows: 64% of emails sent each day around the world are spam.