The most common form of suspicious emails is phishing emails, but you may receive suspicious messages to social media accounts and/or messaging applications too. Phishing messages aim to trick you into giving up your personal, financial, or account information. They may ask you to visit a fake website or call a fake customer service number. Phishing messages can also contain attachments that install malicious software on your computer when opened.

If you are not certain about the authenticity of the message you received or what to do about it, you can use the following questionnaire as a guiding tool to further diagnose the situation or to share the message with external trusted organizations that will provide you with a more detailed analysis of your message.

Keep in mind that receiving a suspicious email does not necessarily mean that your account has been compromised. If you think an email or message is suspicious, don't open it. Don't reply to the message, don't click any links, and don't download any attachments.