Fighting Fraud: How Email Verification Helps Keep You Safe

As technology evolves, so do fraudsters’ abilities to con us – as individuals and businesses. Avoiding falling for phishing and other complex scams can feel increasingly difficult, and one of the tools available to us in the digital sphere is email verification. In this article, we’ll explore the role of email verification in keeping us safe in our digital interactions.

What is email verification?

Put simply, email verification is the process of checking the validity of email addresses, and helping to distinguish between real persons’ accounts and fake or disposable ones. This email validator can help easily checking this validity. You have almost certainly verified your own email address at some point: when you have signed up to email marketing or created an account with a new website. The process involves sending you a link to the email you type in, and then clicking that link to prove that this is indeed your authentic email address.

Phishing Attacks

Phishing attacks usually involve criminals impersonating legitimate businesses or individuals, often using emails sent containing malware or compromised links. These attacks are designed to harvest any sensitive information available on your device, or that you type in. One way to help prevent these attacks – as part of a robust email security strategy- is email verification. Email verification can help to prevent these phishing attacks using some of the following:

•Email verification services/ email checker software

•Two-factor identification

•Sender authentication protocols including SPF, DMARC, and DKIM

Keeping Your Account in Your Own Hands

As well as the initial process of checking that the email given is valid, email verification can continue to keep users safe by preventing unauthorised access – so if the user wants to change their password, for example, a verification email or code is sent, helping to make sure the account stays in its legitimate owner’s hands. The verification process can also detect unusual account activity – such as logging in from a new location or device. Again, an email notification is sent to the user allowing them to take action to secure their account. Finally, automated bots are often used to guess passwords to try to gain illegitimate access to accounts. Email verification adds an extra step that requires human intervention (clicking a link) making it that bit harder for this type of attack to succeed.

Preventing Fake Accounts from Stealing Your Information

Technology is constantly evolving to come up with new ways to combat online fraud. Email verification works by acting as a barrier to entry for malicious actors who are out to steal your information, identity, or cash. Fraudsters frequently create fake accounts in order to carry out their scams, and by authenticating email addresses, businesses and other websites can reduce instances of fraudulent activity on their platforms.

Email verification can never be entirely failsafe – but then, no security method ever is. In a fast-developing technological environment, it’s important to be vigilant and to educate ourselves about changes in order to keep our information and identities safe. That said, email verification remains a really important barrier to entry for fraudsters and their attacks.