1. Look past the name to the address
Tap the sender name to see the real address. "PayPal Billing" from paypa1-billing.co is not PayPal.
2. Check the reply-to
A reply-to on a different domain (often a free webmail address) means your answer goes somewhere other than the sender shown.
3. Read the authentication result
In Gmail, open the message, tap the three dots, then Show original. SPF, DKIM and DMARC should say PASS for the domain in the From line. A FAIL on a bank or payment email is a red flag.
4. Hover before you click
Link text can say one site and go to another. Raw numbers (an IP address), look-alike spellings and link shorteners on "account" emails are warning signs.
5. Distrust urgent money or code requests
Changed bank details on an invoice, gift cards, crypto, or a code "to confirm it's you" are the classic asks. Call the person on a number you already have.
Not sure? Paste the email into our free scam check: no sign-up, nothing stored. Or let Inbox Hero run these checks on every new email and quarantine the clear scams automatically. Mail you send through Inbox Hero can also carry a verified-sender line, so the people you write to can check it really came from you.
On an iPhone Duo? Inbox Hero uses both screens: your inbox on one, the email and a reply drafted in your voice on the other. See it on the Duo.
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Gmail access reviewed and approved by Google after an independent security assessment.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if an email is really from who it says?
Check the real address behind the name, the reply-to, the SPF/DKIM/DMARC result in Show original, where links really go, and whether it asks for money or codes. Inbox Hero runs these checks on every new email.
What does DMARC fail mean?
The email failed the sending domain's own authentication policy, so it may not really be from that domain. Treat payment or login requests in it as suspicious.
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