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ScamGator safety guides

Is this email a scam? A practical phishing checklist

Start with the request, not the logo. A familiar company name does not establish who sent an email.

Check before you click

  1. Ask whether you expected this message and whether its request makes sense.
  2. Look at the full sender address, not just the display name. A mismatch is a warning sign; a familiar address is not a guarantee.
  3. Pause when a message threatens immediate closure or asks for passwords, payment details or verification codes.
  4. Open the company's app or a website you already trust to check the claim independently.

A fictional example

“Your mailbox closes in 20 minutes. Send your sign-in code to keep access.”

Warning sign: urgency combined with a private code request. Safer action: check your account through its usual sign-in page and keep the code private.

What an email scam checker can tell you

ScamGator can explain suspicious wording. It cannot authenticate the sender or certify a link as safe. Remove private information before using the checker.

Source and scope

Based on FTC: Recognize and avoid phishing scams. Published October 17, 2026. The example above is fictional. This guide is educational and does not establish whether a particular person or message is genuine.

Keep learning

Explore all scam guides or check suspicious wording with the free AI tool.