Is your order confirmation e-mail the real deal or a phishing scheme?


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SALT LAKE CITY — They may look like order confirmations from your recent online shopping binge, but look closer.

The KSL Investigators showed former FBI special agent Juan Becerra a handful of order confirmation e-mails that at first glance look real, but by taking a few extra seconds, it was not tough to spot warning signs.

Becerra said the people sending fake order confirmations hope recipients click the provided links. Sometimes such links will download malware or ask for personal information.

In the midst of the last-minute holiday rush, Becerra has suggestions to avoid a holiday hassle.

  • Check to see if someone in your household actually placed an order.

  • Delete e-mails you weren't expecting or don't recognize.

  • Watch for poor grammar and misspelled words in the text.

  • Hover over links, but don't click, to see if the address matches the retailer logo.

  • Remember, company logos are easy to cut and paste from the Internet, so a logo doesn't guarantee an e-mail is legitimate.

  • Don't respond to unsolicited e-mails by offering personal information, banking or credit card numbers.

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Debbie Dujanovic

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