Billions of phishing emails are sent every day. Phishing emails will try to trick users into clicking malicious links or sharing personal information by pretending to come from an authoritative or trusted source.

As we filter through messages from work, schools, family, brands, sports teams and other senders, it’s easy for unsuspecting users to fall victim to an exciting offer or urgent message. Being vigilant can help you stay protected from criminals and scammers who abuse your trust to trick you into providing personal and financial information that can be use to steal from you.

Here are some tips to help you stay protected from scammers and cyberthieves when you get an unsolicited email.

• Make sure the email comes from the place says it’s coming from. Scammers will use reputable, logos, company, names, and even images from recognizable people and places to convince victims that a fishing email is legitimate.

• Look for suspicious changes in the email address, such as spelling mistakes, or domains that don’t match the company’s actual website.

• Don’t click links within an email without making sure that they go to a trusted site. You can hover over the link with your mouse (without clicking) to see where it’s directing. Look for spelling mistakes or look-alike URLs that direct to a different site.

• Double-check the site or offer. Do a Google search to confirm that it’s a valid website, and check if the site is secure by looking for the lock symbol in the address bar.

• Be wary of free or heavily discounted options, especially when they arrive by surprise.

• If an email creates a false sense of urgency, be suspicious. Trusted organizations will not threaten consequences if you don’t reply to an email.

• Don’t open attachments without confirming them with the sender.

• Call the organization that emailed you to verify the message. Don’t use contact information that’s included within the email; look up the organization’s phone number through a reputable search engine to make sure it’s the correct number.

• Never include financial or personal information in an email, especially to an unknown sender.

• Do not respond to unsolicited messages asking for personal information.

• Hover to discover: hover your mouse over any e-mail address to confirm that it's coming from the correct address. If hovering over an email address directs to a different address (or none at all), it's a strong indication of a phishing attempt.

Want to learn more? Your CAA membership offers a personalized cybersecurity education program, available free to CAA Members through cyberconIQ®. Determine your personal risk level at your own pace, via tips and effective ways to protect your personal identity and financial data online.