Protecting against email scams: Expert advice from Fort Myers

FORT MYERS, Fla. —

Millions of people fall victim to email scams each year, resulting in billions of dollars in losses for individuals and businesses. John Joyce, CEO of CRS Technology Consultants, offers advice on how to protect against these threats.

Joyce explained that the average person receives around 120 emails per day, not including messages from platforms like Teams, Slack, Messenger, or text.

"One moment of weakness or an accidental click can put your digital livelihood at risk," Joyce said. Scammers use email to illegally access data files, bank accounts, social media profiles, and more.

The history of email scams dates back to the first email sent in 1971, with spam emerging seven years later in 1978. Joyce noted that the transition from spam to scams occurred in the 1990s.

"The Nigerian prince emails was probably the defining moment," Joyce said, referring to scams where senders claimed to have a big investment or inheritance but needed bank account numbers to deposit the funds. Variations of this scam still exist today, and similar scams continue to evolve, such as those involving Facebook Marketplace and unpaid toll invoices.

Currently, Joyce sees scams involving fake emails from companies like Microsoft, Google, or Amazon, which require users to log in and change passwords or confirm credit card information. Hackers also access business customer databases to email exceptional, limited-time offers, tricking people into entering credit card information directly into a scammer's database.

"Scammers are now sending very authentic-looking emails," Joyce said, noting improvements in grammar due to AI and the inclusion of official company logos, email signatures, and disclaimer copy.

To protect against these scams, Joyce advised, "Remember – you're only going to get rich by purchasing a lottery ticket, not through email."

He recommended updating software programs when prompted to counteract the latest scams, pausing before clicking, being skeptical of every message, hovering over links or a sender's name to verify authenticity, and deleting suspicious messages. If a message is authentic, the sender will likely follow up with an email or call.

For more information, Joyce mentioned that CRS Technology Consultants has created an online resources page, where you can also find the weekly Solid-State Podcast, which covers tech trends. It is also available on Spotify, Amazon Music, and other streaming platforms.

WATCH THE FULL SEGMENT ABOVE

DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.