One of the most common types of email fraud is the practice of sending a phony email message, which is sometimes referred to as "phishing." Such phony emails are disguised as legitimate, and often include company logos that look real.

But they're actually from criminals who send thousands of emails at a time to random addresses. These criminals are trying to entice you to visit a phony website and provide personal and confidential information, such as online IDs and passcodes, or Social Security numbers and account numbers or offer you a too good to believe job. Although the site may look like a reputable site (like Check Into Cash), it is not - which is why this practice is known as "spoofing."

The Account Manager or Money Transfer Agent is one of the newest scams. An email or an advertisement on the web tries to recruit you to be an account manager or transfer agent for a fictitious company. These scam artists steal money from an unsuspecting person's account and transfer the money into your account. Then the criminals ask you to send the money to them. The lure is that you get to keep a percentage of the money as your "commission." This opens your personal holdings to fraud - and, if your account is used in an online scheme, you can be liable for lost funds.

Spotting phony email messages is not always easy. Sometimes, they may ask you to reply directly, or provide a link that takes you to a website that appears legitimate but is not. In either case, these phony email messages generally ask you to provide sensitive personal, financial, or account information. See an example of a fraudulent email.

More tips for spotting fraudulent emails:

• Fraudulent emails are trying to trick you in to providing your personal information. Check Into Cash emails will never ask you to reply to an email with any personal information or data, such as your Social Security number, or any other sensitive information or offer you an “at home” check cashing position.
• Urgent appeals claim that your account may be closed if you fail to confirm, verify, or authenticate your personal information immediately. Check Into Cash and most other financial institutions will not ask you to verify information in this way.
• Requests for security information claim that the bank has lost important security information and needs to update it online. Check Into Cash and most other financial institutions will not ask you to verify information in this way.
• Typos and other errors are often the mark of fraudulent emails or websites. Be on the lookout for: typographical or grammatical errors; awkward, stilted, or inappropriate writing; and poor visual or design quality.
• Too-good-to-be-true offers are often just that. Don't get mixed up in fraudulent activity by believing emails or web advertisements that offer to help you earn money by transferring cash.

Protecting against email and website fraud

• Always make sure you are at Check Into Cash's website www.checkintocash.com
• If you receive an email claiming to be from Check Into Cash that appears to be suspicious, do not click on any links it provides or reply to it - simply delete it.

To report a suspicious email that uses Check Into Cash's name, please forward it to abuse@checkintocash.com and then delete the email. (If you have general questions about the Check Into Cash please email us at askbob@checkintocash.com).