Q: I keep getting emails for official business documents that I have no idea about. What should I do?
A: Getting unexpected emails that appear to be about contracts, invoices or 鈥渇inal agreements鈥� can feel unsettling. Scammers know that official-sounding paperwork gets attention, which is why these types of phishing attempts are so common.
Why they work
Messages that reference 鈥渃ompleted agreements,鈥� 鈥渂anking forms鈥� or 鈥渦rgent contract updates鈥� are designed to create anxiety and a sense of urgency. Many people click without thinking, worried they鈥檒l miss something important.
It鈥檚 like getting a phone call where the caller ID says 鈥渂ank,鈥� but the voice on the other end asks you to confirm your account number. Just because the label looks right, doesn鈥檛 mean the request is legitimate.
Signs it鈥檚 a scam
Phishing emails often contain red flags that you can spot if you slow down:
- Mismatched senders: The 鈥渇rom鈥� line might display Adobe, Aetna or DocuSign, but the actual sending domain could be something odd like mailer@randomhost.com.
- Suspicious links: Hover your mouse over a button or hyperlink without clicking. If it doesn鈥檛 point to the official site (like adobe.com), it鈥檚 suspicious.
- Generic wording: Real business emails usually include account details, names or references. Scammers keep it vague because they鈥檙e casting a wide net.
- Pressure tactics: Phrases like 鈥測ou鈥檙e done signing鈥� or 鈥測our account will be suspended鈥� are crafted to make you react quickly.
What you should do
- Don鈥檛 click links or attachments. They鈥檙e the most common way attackers try to compromise your device.
- Check the headers. Every email has hidden technical details called headers that show where it really came from. To see them, you鈥檒l need to open Gmail (or your email provider) on a computer, not your smartphone. In Gmail鈥檚 desktop version, click the three dots in the upper-right corner of the message and choose “show original” at the bottom of the list. In those details, you鈥檒l see results for three tests 鈥� SPF, DKIM and DMARC 鈥� that verify whether the sender was authorized and if the message was altered. If they all say 鈥減ass,鈥� the message likely came from the real company. If you see 鈥渇ail鈥� next to any of them, it means the email didn鈥檛 pass the test and is almost certainly a fake.
- Verify directly. If the message appears to come from your bank, insurer or a signing service, open a new browser window and log in to their official website directly or call a verified phone number. Never call any phone number listed in the message or trust any link in the message.
When it might be real
Sometimes services like DocuSign or Adobe Sign are legitimately used to send contracts. The difference is context 鈥� you should already know you鈥檙e expecting a document. If no one told you to watch for something, treat it as untrustworthy until confirmed.
New rule to adopt
If an email about business documents shows up unexpectedly, slow down and confirm before acting.
It鈥檚 just like getting a letter in your mailbox. If it looks official but you don鈥檛 recognize the sender, you鈥檇 never immediately sign it or send money 鈥� you鈥檇 check first. Your inbox should be treated with the same caution.
By building this reflex, you鈥檒l avoid falling for the “quick click” that scammers are counting on.
Ken Colburn is founder and CEO of聽. Ask any tech question on聽.
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