BBB warns of e-signature email scams

The BBB warns consumers to look carefully and keep context in mind if they receive an email asking for a digital signature on an important document.

How the scam works

You’ve probably used an e-signature service before to sign employment documents, tax forms or real estate paperwork. Many companies use e-signature services to securely send documents to be signed via email.

Unfortunately, there also are e-signature scams that impersonate legitimate services. They usually come in the form of a fake email that says you have a document ready to sign. The scammer’s goal is to trick you into thinking you need to sign something important right away.

Once you click the link in the email, you’ll be taken to a fake form to enter personal information or be asked to contact scammers who might try to convince you to pay them. The link also could download malware onto your device.

How to tell if an e-signature email is a scam

—Watch out for urgent language. Scammers want to catch you off guard and will often tell you something needs to be signed immediately.

—Be wary of unexpected emails. Real companies usually won’t ask you to sign something over email without talking to you about it in person or over the phone first. If you get an email out of the blue that you’re not sure about, check your records and confirm directly with the company before clicking on anything.

—Verify the sender and contact information. Check the company’s official website to confirm if the email you received matches their contact information. Don’t use any contact information you see in the email; scammers can make fake phone numbers or email addresses. Instead, go directly to the company website in a new tab.

—Look for grammatical errors or odd phrasing. AI-generated writing is making fake emails a bit harder to spot, but you should still check for grammatical errors or phrasing that doesn’t quite match the purpose of the email.

—Look at logos and design. Blurry, low-resolution images or text could indicate a scam. Look at any logos in the email to see if they match the real company’s logos — but take this with a grain of salt, as scammers can download and copy logos easily.