Spam emails are emails you haven’t asked for, just like junk mail you get at home. 45% of all emails in the world are spam, which is much more than the amount of junk mail you receive at home. Some spam emails are just annoying, but many of them are actually dangerous.

Here's why spam emails can be so dangerous:

• They might give your computer a virus if you click on the links
• They might let the person who sent them see your email account and information
• They might trick you into giving someone your banking information or othe personal information

Most spam emails will automatically go into a Spam folder in your email account. That means you’ll never have to see them.

But sometimes, spam emails go to your inbox, and they might look real. In this lesson, we’ll learn how to identify spam emails.

Let’s think about it

Why do you think it’s important to learn about spotting spam emails?

Let’s learn the different types of spam emails

Here are some common types of spam emails:

Fake charities

You may get an email that asks you to donate money to a charity. Sometimes it says a charity is going to give you money. The charity name might be real, but this email isn’t from the real charity.

Fake lotteries

You may get an email that says you won some money or a product, like a new phone. If you didn’t sign up for the lottery or contest, it’s fake.

Fake products

You may get an email that tells you to check out a new product. It will ask you to click a link to go to a website. If you don’t remember signing up for emails about this product, don’t click the link.

Emails that ask you for money

You might get an email that seems like it’s from someone who needs money. It might sound like they need your help very badly.

If you get this kind of email, here are some rules to follow:

• If you don’t know the person, don’t send them money or click any links in the email
• If the email looks like it’s from a friend or family member, you should still be careful. Someone dishonest could have hacked into their email account and pretended to be them. Before you answer the email, call your friend or family member. Never send them money just because they emailed you.
• If the email looks like it’s from a company or an organization you know, like your bank, you should still be careful. People sending spam emails can make them look like they come from a legitimate place. Visit the company or organization, or look up their phone number and ask if they sent you the email.