How to tell if an email is an AI-made scam
Check what an email asks you to do. Good spelling and a real-looking logo do not prove who sent it.
You usually cannot tell whether AI wrote a scam email. A scam can be fluent, friendly and personal. A real message can have mistakes.
Focus on the request. For example, an email asks you to sign in through a new link to keep your account. Check that claim in the app you normally use.
- Do not follow the email's link, open its file or reply with private details.
- Open the service's known app or saved site. Check its account notices there.
- If the request is still unclear, use support contact details from that known source.
- To learn with ChatGPT, use a made-up example or a broad description. Leave out real links, names, codes and account details.
- If you entered a password on a suspect page, use the service's real recovery steps promptly. Do not wait for ChatGPT to decide whether the email used AI.
A made-up email says: 'Your account closes today. Use this new link to sign in.' Explain what to check through the real service. Do not guess who sent it or call it safe based on its wording.
Paste the message into ChatGPT, then fill in any blanks before you send it. ChatGPT opens in a new tab. Opening it does not send the message.
You can verify a deadline without using the link that brought it to you.
Sources and more help
These links open in a new tab.