You get an email invitation to a party from a friend you haven't seen in a while. It sounds fun, so you click the link…

You get an email from an acquaintance saying that you have to read this fantastic story! It sounds like just your cup of tea, so you click the link…

You get an email from the Social Security Administration saying that your yearly statement is ready to download. You need that information for your files, so you click the link…

You get an email from your credit card company saying that there is an unusual charge on your account. This is worrying, so you click the link…

These are all real ways that people have been scammed or hacked or both.

AARP has created a set of steps to help you stay safe from scams:

Pause - Take a deep breath and consider the email.

Reflect - Ask yourself, could this be a scam? Does the email invitation from your friend seem out of character? Would this acquaintance normally share stories with you? Official SSA emails do not contain attachments or links to download documents. Does that credit card warning look like what you usually get from your credit card company?
(If something seems off, it probably is.)

Protect – If it's clear this is not a legitimate email, DELETE IT! And if you're still in doubt, go directly to the source – call your friend and ask if they're having a party. Call your acquaintance and ask if they sent you a story to read. Go directly to the Social Security Administration website (SSA.gov) and login to get your statement from there. Call the phone number on the back of your credit card and ask if there are any unusual charges.

Most importantly, until you are sure it's legitimate - Do not click on the link in the message!

One way to check whether an email is legitimate is to see who it actually came from. Look at the top of the email for the "From:" line. If it looks something like this - "From: Joe Bloggs <diswmflsxu@ventinor.com>" - your friend's name with a weird-looking email address that doesn't look familiar, it's probably a scam. Check that the email address within the <> marks is that person's real email address. (Unfortunately, this is not always a fool-proof way to check. Hackers can get around it. But, it will expose many of the people trying to scam you.)

Be suspicious of emails (or texts or phone calls) you're not expecting. If you're not sure, call the sender with a number you already know from your address book or bank statement, etc. Never react to pressure. Talk through your concerns with a friend, relative, or NNV volunteer.

And, if you think you may have already responded to a suspect communication, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers a list of steps to take after you have been scammed. NNV full members can ask for help from a technology volunteer to work through the steps they should take.

Remember, Pause... Reflect... Protect... and keep yourself safe from scams.