How to check an email address for a scammer: what you can and can't tell
Quick answer
You can't prove an email is safe from the address alone, because senders can fake it. Don't click or reply. Contact the organisation using details you already know, then forward the email to report@phishing.gov.uk.
Reviewed by Anthon Wansland
Head of Product & Co-Founder
Serus is a privacy company with paid tools to find and remove your personal data. This page is free and based on official sources.
- Last updated
How it works
People search for a way to look up an email address and see whether a scammer owns it. There isn't a reliable one. Scammers can fake the name that appears, copy a real company's look, or use a new address you won't find any record of. A clean address tells you very little.
Check the message instead:
- Is it unexpected? An email about a delivery you didn't order, a bill, a refund or a locked account is the usual hook.
- Does it push you? Urgency, threats and deadlines are meant to stop you thinking.
- Where does the link go? Don't click it to find out. Go to the company's site yourself.
- What does it ask for? Passwords, card details, codes or a payment are the aim.
The safest check is to ignore the contact details in the message and reach the organisation another way: an email address or phone number you know is correct, such as one on a bill, on the back of your card, or found through a search engine.
Sources checked: ncsc.gov.uk, actionfraud.police.uk
Last verified against the official page:
Red flags
- An email you weren't expecting about money, a parcel or your account
- Urgent wording, threats or a short deadline
- A link or attachment you're asked to open straight away
- A request for a password, card number or one-time code
- A sender name that looks right but an address that doesn't match the company
- Generic greeting instead of your name
Example message
Your account has been suspended because of unusual activity. Verify your details within 24 hours at [link] or it will be closed.
What to do
- 1
Don't click, reply or call the number
Anything in the message could be set up by the scammer, including the 'unsubscribe' link.
- 2
Check with the organisation directly
Use a phone number or email address you know is right, from a bill, your card or a search you run yourself.
- 3
Report it
Forward the email to report@phishing.gov.uk. For a scam text, forward it to 7726 for free if your provider takes part. Then delete the message.
- 4
If you clicked or shared details
Change the password for that account and any other that uses it, turn on two-step verification, and tell your bank straight away if you gave card or bank details.
- 5
Report a loss
If you lost money or were hacked, report it to Action Fraud (the UK's reporting centre for fraud) through its website.
Report it
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
Scam emails usually reach you because your address is on a list: it was in a breach, scraped from a site or sold by a data broker (a company that collects and sells personal info). The more of your name, email and phone number is listed, the easier it is for a scammer to write something that looks like it's for you. Serus finds where your details are listed and removes them from people-search sites, and alerts you when your email appears in a breach.
Frequently asked
Can I look up an email address to see if it belongs to a scammer?
Not reliably. Addresses can be faked or created new, so a search that finds nothing doesn't mean it's safe. Judge the message and verify through the organisation's own contact details.
Where do I forward a scam email in the UK?
To report@phishing.gov.uk, the NCSC's Suspicious Email Reporting Service.
How do I report a scam text?
Forward it to 7726. Most phone providers offer this for free.
Does replying to a scam email confirm my address is active?
It can show a scammer someone reads the inbox, so don't reply. Delete it after reporting.
Sources
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we'll re-check it.
