A Simple Guide to Suspicious Emails
Practical privacy guidance without unnecessary alarm.
Urgent requests for money, gift cards, passwords, or account verification can be scam warning signs. Sender names can be faked. Go directly to the company's website instead of following an unexpected login link. Tiny remote images may track email opens, and technical authentication results alone do not prove a message is safe.
Common warning signs
Be cautious when unexpected messages pressure you to act quickly, send money, buy gift cards or enter login codes. A familiar display name does not prove that a message really came from that person or company.
A safer way to verify
Open the official company website or app yourself, instead of using a link in an unexpected email. If necessary, call a phone number you already know is authentic. Do not send passwords or one-time codes in response to an email.
Why images and headers matter
Some emails contain remote images that can report an open event. Technical sender authentication checks can also appear in message headers, but a passing result is not proof that the content is safe.
What our email tool can do
It looks for selected warning signs in text you paste and explains them in plain language. It is not a malware scanner or a guarantee of safety. Don't paste private credentials or verification codes.
What should you do?
Use the free Brown Family Apps tool below, understand what it can and cannot check, and review any result before sharing personal information. Nothing is uploaded to our servers.