Not really, but they are certainly trying hard to get my information or money

I have recently had some spam/phishing emails sneak through into my inbox and they were very interesting.

Interesting to me because I quickly recognized them for what they were, but also a little bit alarming due to the fact they could easily catch a less aware mind off guard.

One of them wrote that they had spoken to my receptionist about doing business together and that they hoped we could chat more.

First off, I had no idea I had a receptionist. In fact, I had no idea my home office required one. But, apparently I do have one and said receptionist encourage this person to peddle their wares to me.

This person recently reached back out with a “sorry we missed you the first time” email. I’ve since marked this as spam, but waited for the second email as I was intrigued to see what would be written next.

But, that was only one of many. The are the standard “don’t miss the opportunity” and “we’ve researched your products” emails. One, I’m not selling any products at the moment. Two, those same “opportunities” have been around for years, so I’m not missing anything.

However, as these scammers and spammers get even more creative to circumvent the email filters, a couple emails popped up recently that were alarming as they could catch those unaware during the gift-giving season.

One of them was super interesting because they stole an age-old sales tactic in sending me season’s greetings, telling me when their offices would be closed, and then saying if I needed to update my order to click on the link.

The funny part is the company they apparently worked for I had never done business with in any way, shape, or form. So, why would I need to update an order?

Then, there is this one that came in very recently . . .

Other than the poor grammar and punctuation, that isn’t my email address. Yet, it found it’s way into my email inbox. I also know exactly what I spend, where I spend it and who I’m doing business with.

I obviously didn’t open the invoice because I’m paying attention. But, imagine you are someone who is ordering lots of items online. Now, this pops up and you don’t think, you act because it could be something you ordered . . . boom, malware or worse is on your computer or phone because a virus was hidden in the PDF.

That’s how dangerous these things can be if you aren’t aware of the tactics being used.

So, be diligent this holiday season and don’t open anything or click on links unless you are absolutely certain of where the email came from.

Phone scams are also taking place year-round and can be exacerbated during the Christmas/Holiday season.

Here are some tips from the Province of Ontario on how to protect yourself from their web page: Identify A Scam or Fraud.

Please be careful everyone and always know that you can contact businesses, government agencies, or charitable organizations yourself directly to ensure everything is above board.