According to the FTC’s 2024 data, email was the contact method in 25% of reported fraud cases with an identified method of contact, resulting in over $502 million in losses^[1]. 

These financial damages reflect the growing threat of email-based scams, many of which involve scammers impersonating trusted contacts or organizations. To counter this, email spoofing prevention must be a top priority for anyone looking to protect their sensitive information from scammers.

To help you avoid becoming a victim of an email spoofing scam, this guide explains how email spoofing happens, how to spot it, and what practical steps you can take to stay ahead of evolving threats. We’ll also explore how virtual cards can secure your financial data, even if scammers find a way to reach your inbox.

What Is Email Spoofing?

Email spoofing is a tactic where a fraudster creates fake email addresses and forges the email’s header information to make it appear as though it comes from a trusted source. For example, they might change one letter in a company's domain name to impersonate a CEO, colleague, or merchant. 

This technique is frequently used in business email compromise (BEC) scams, where attackers use email to deceive victims into transferring funds, exposing private details, or downloading malware.

How Does Email Spoofing Happen?

Email spoofing takes advantage of a fundamental flaw in the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)^[2]—the system that governs how emails are sent between servers. The SMTP was designed without built-in sender authentication tools (like SPF, DKIM, or DMARC), which means it doesn’t check whether the sender address listed in an email is actually tied to the server that sent it. 

Here’s how scammers typically exploit this flaw:

1. They identify a vulnerable domain, usually one without the DMARC or other authentication protocols configured.
2. They forge the sender details (“From” and “Reply-To” fields) using basic scripts or email-sending tools.
3. They send the spoofed email through an SMTP service.

Types of Email Spoofing

Attackers commonly use these email spoofing methods to deceive recipients:

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There are two ways you can be a victim of email spoofing: scammers may target you by pretending to be someone you know or misuse your identity to deceive others. Both situations carry serious consequences—the former compromises your security, the latter your reputation and credibility. That’s why it’s important to approach email spoofing prevention from both angles to reduce risk and strengthen your overall email security.

How To Prevent Someone From Spoofing Your Email Address

While you can't completely stop someone from forging your email address, implementing safeguards can help deter spoofers and protect your contacts. Here’s what you can do:

• Use an email provider that offers anti-spoofing protections—Reputable email providers, such as Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo, enforce email authentication protocols such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC^[3], helping receiving parties verify that incoming messages came from authorized servers. If you manage a domain, set up these records manually using the step-by-step setup guides provided by your registrar or hosting provider.
• Limit the exposure of your primary email address—Posting your main email address publicly on forums, social media profiles, or websites makes it easier for scammers and bots to collect it for spoofing or spamming purposes. Use separate, disposable email addresses for online sign-ups, newsletters, or any activity requiring public visibility.
• Secure your email account—In some cases, hackers may also attempt to hack into your account by brute-forcing your password or exploiting another security vulnerability. That’s why using strong, unique passwords and enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) to prevent unauthorized logins is crucial. If someone reports receiving suspicious emails from you, check your "Sent" folder, and if you don’t see any suspicious messages, the spoofing came from outside your account.
• Notify your contacts if spoofing happens—Signs like bounce-back messages or questions about emails you didn’t send could indicate spoofing. Alert your key contacts quickly to minimize potential harm.

How To Recognize and React to an Email Spoofing Attack

Besides taking steps to prevent misuse of your own email, it’s equally important to know how to spot a spoofed email in your inbox and respond appropriately to strengthen your online security. Here's how to avoid falling victim to an email spoofing scam: 

1. Carefully review sender info and email content
2. Analyze the email header’s metadata
3. Keep your inbox organized
4. Report a suspicious email

Carefully Review Sender Info and Email Content

Even well-crafted fake emails may contain small inconsistencies. So, when you receive an unexpected email, especially one asking you to act fast, check for these common warning signs:

• A mismatch between display name and actual email address—Scammers often pair a familiar name with a suspicious email address to make the message look legitimate at first glance. Don’t rely on the display name alone—always verify the full email address.
• Generic greetings—Legitimate companies and trusted contacts typically address you by name. Messages that open with “Dear Customer” or “Dear User” instead of your real name should raise caution.
• Grammar and spelling mistakes—While typing errors happen, professional organizations usually send polished communications. Awkward phrasing, wrong word usage, or frequent errors may indicate a scam.
• A sense of urgency—Spoofed emails often pressure you with urgent requests like "Verify your account now or it will be closed." Authentic companies might alert you to issues, but they won’t use such tactics to pressure you.
• Suspicious attachments, links, or reply addresses—Avoid clicking on any link or opening any attachment you weren’t expecting. Before interacting, hover over links to preview the true destination. If the URL looks suspicious, don’t click.
• Mismatched “Reply-To” and “Return-Path” addresses—If replying redirects you to a different or unfamiliar address, it’s a strong indicator of spoofing. Inconsistent "Return-Path" fields in the email headers can also reveal that the message didn’t come from the alleged source.

Analyze the Email Header’s Metadata

Reviewing an email’s technical headers can provide confirmation when something feels suspicious. Here’s how to do it:

1. View the original message or full headers. In Gmail, you can open the menu and select “Show original”, and in Outlook, you might find “Properties” to see Internet headers^[4]. 
2. Look for the “Authentication-Results” header. You'll see "spf=pass" or "dkim=pass" if the email was authenticated by SPF or DKIM. In Gmail, you can check the “Mailed by” and “Signed by” headers, which will have a question mark next to the sender’s name if the email isn’t authenticated^[5].

Keep Your Inbox Organized

A cluttered inbox makes it harder to spot suspicious emails and increases the risk of missing potential red flags. Maintaining these inbox hygiene practices helps in identifying spoofed or phishing messages quickly:

• Once you’ve reported a spam email, delete it. Also, regularly delete or archive old messages you no longer need to keep your inbox manageable.
• Set up filters or labels to sort incoming messages automatically (for example, putting all receipts in one folder).
• Unsubscribe from marketing emails you don’t read.
• Review your spam or junk folder occasionally to check for important misfiled messages.

Report a Suspicious Email

If you received an email that you suspect (or have confirmed) is spoofed, here are the next steps you should take to minimize damage and reduce future risks:

• Double-check with the supposed sender through another channel to confirm your suspicion. 
• Flag the email as spam or phishing. Gmail offers a feature where you can click the three dots and choose “Report phishing,” which helps Google’s systems improve defenses and also automatically deletes the email^[6].
• Report the email address to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or forward it to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org^[7]. 

Financial Implications of Email Spoofing and Ways Virtual Cards Can Help

Email spoofing is often the first step in broader fraud campaigns aimed at stealing your personal and financial information.

Attackers often use spoofed emails to:

• Trick recipients into visiting phishing websites that capture login credentials
• Deliver malware designed to compromise devices and harvest sensitive data
• Impersonate trusted organizations to gain access to banking or credit card details

Even if you recognize and avoid a spoofed message, other threats, such as merchant data breaches or triangulation scams, can still put your information at risk.

One of the most effective ways to minimize financial data exposure is to use virtual cards. They help protect your real card numbers by acting as a secure stand-in during purchases. Even if your virtual card numbers get exposed, your actual banking details stay hidden.

While some banks, such as Citi and Capital One, offer basic virtual card options, dedicated providers like Privacy offer greater flexibility and control.

Use Privacy Virtual Cards To Minimize Financial Risk From Email Scams

After securely connecting your existing debit card or bank account to Privacy, you can generate virtual cards for your purchases. Each card comes with a unique 16-digit number, expiration date, and CVV. You can use these cards with most vendors and websites that accept U.S. Visa^® and Mastercard^® payments.

Privacy applies bank-grade protections to keep your data safe at every step and offers the following security features: 

• Data encryption at rest and in transit—Privacy uses AES-256 encryption and Transport Layer Security (TLS) to secure sensitive information, whether stored or transmitted.
• Two-factor authentication (2FA)—Privacy accounts support 2FA through email or SMS codes or authenticator apps, adding an extra layer of protection beyond your password.
• Fraud protection—If an unauthorized charge occurs, Privacy offers a straightforward dispute process and responsive support to help protect and potentially recover your funds. 

Privacy Card Types and Features

Privacy offers four types of virtual cards, depending on the type of protection and convenience you need:

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You can pause or close your Privacy Virtual Cards at any time, helping protect against unauthorized charges if your card information is compromised.

Additionally, Privacy allows you to set spending limits on every card you generate and automatically declines any transaction exceeding the set limit. This helps avoid overbilling or surprise charges from merchants.

Additional Convenience Features Offered by Privacy

Beyond strong card controls and bank-grade security, Privacy offers several features that make managing your payment information more efficient:

• 1Password Integration—Seamlessly save and autofill your Privacy Card details using 1Password’s browser extension.
• Mobile app—Available for Android or iOS, the Privacy App allows you to create, monitor, and manage your virtual cards from anywhere.
• Browser extension—The Privacy Browser Extension lets you generate and autofill virtual card details directly during checkout, streamlining your experience when shopping online. It’s available for Firefox, Edge, Chrome, Safari, and Safari for iOS.

Getting Started With Privacy

Setting up a Privacy account is straightforward and involves just a few steps:

1. Create your Privacy account
2. Verify your identity by submitting the required KYC details
3. Link your funding source (a U.S. bank account or debit card)
4. Get your Privacy Virtual Card

Privacy offers four monthly plans designed to fit different spending needs:

References

^[1]Federal Trade Commission. https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/csn-annual-data-book-2024.pdf, sourced May 13, 2025

^[2]Science Direct. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167404823005102, sourced May 13, 2025

^[3]Microsoft. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-office-365/email-authentication-about, sourced May 13, 2025

^[4]Google. https://support.google.com/mail/answer/29436?visit_id=638827293723682798-1416242789&rd=1#zippy=%2Cgmail%2Cother-mail-services, sourced May 13, 2025

^[5]Google. https://support.google.com/mail/answer/180707?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en#zippy=%2Ccheck-gmail-messages%2Ccheck-messages-in-another-mail-client-like-outlook-or-apple-mail, sourced May 13, 2025

^[6]Google. https://support.google.com/mail/answer/8253?hl=en, sourced May 13, 2025

^[7]APWG. https://education.apwg.org/report-cybercrime/, sourced May 13, 2025

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