Before the dawn of email, id thieves and scammers alike had to reach their potential prey via telephone, fax, snail mails or door-to-door contact. These tactics required investments in terms of money and time, which meant these thieves had to invest in it first before they could perfect their act. These methods were riskier for thieves, too, because it was actually easier to get caught in those days. Emails have really changed the game for identity thieves: The anonymity and convenience it brings, along with its ability to reach out thousands of people in just one click, has enabled thieves to work double time on their efforts.Fortunately, you always have the ability to prevent id theft by learning how to spot a fraudulent email. Identifying spam messages or malicious emails are just starting point of many hacking and identity theft activities. You should first understand that sending spam messages in volumes generates more potential targets. However, not all these victims have to respond, because even if the respondents are just a small percentage, these provide more than enough recipients to generate serious profits in identity theft.Different signs of identity theft in emails

• Fake business opportunities - These types of scam "promise" to help you become richer with just a small investment and less effort. They're usually filled with enticing words such as "can't miss opportunities," "work less, earn more," and "make money in just a few hours." Keep in mind that these emails give very few details about the nature of the business they claim to represent. Others will let you visit their site, where you can obtain a "free kit" to use for making more money. It's just like a pyramiding scheme where you have to recruit more down-lines before you get money. However, down-lines can always run dry, which could mean the end of your business cycle.
  
  
• Emails that target your lifestyle - These scams mostly prey on the need of the people to improve their health status. Consumers who are "health conscious" are the most common victims of this scam. Criminals will send out messages about "quick-fix" drugs that promise "wonderful" results in just a matter of days or weeks. Be aware of this email scam, because despite they are able to show some consumer testimonials, even if their products still don't work. These businesses are always fake; all they care about is taking your money.
  
  
• Phishing tactics - phishing emails are designed to mimic a legitimate financial institution or another company. Of course, innocent victims can easily be lured by this. The goal of this scam is to trick you into visiting their website, but once you're there, all information you provide can be intercepted by a third party. Alternatively, they can inject malware in your computer, which is used to track all your activities. Take note that their goal is simple: To ask for your sensitive information like credit card account number, billing address, or even the username and password of your bank account. All of these are more than enough for criminals to raid your finances or use your identity for their own good.

Simple steps to keep your email environment safe

• Filter spam messages - Fraud emails are almost always unsolicited emails. It's important to control the volume of messages that enter your email, so consider using the anti-spam feature of your email application. It prevents spam messages from getting into your inbox. Filtering does not mean eliminating, though, so you still have to trash or delete email spam manually.
  
  
• Proceed with caution when reading unsolicited emails - If any emails are sent to you without your knowledge, or if an email arrives from a particular institution you haven't done any business with: there's no need to trust these. Always trust your instincts with regards to unsolicited emails. Finally, never click on a link that appears on the body of the message, because you might end up in a fake website where your identity will be "phished."