4 phishing emails in your inbox that are just waiting to steal your money

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• Phishing scams were up 61% in 2022, and the scammers' goal is to convince you to give them your information.
• When you receive an email or phone call, it's a good idea to verify the source by contacting them directly.
• Before sending money to anyone — even if you think you're sending it to yourself — be careful.

It's happened to most of us: You're going about your day, and your phone rings with an unknown number, or you get an email from an account you don't recognize. Phishing is when criminals use fake emails, text messages, or phone calls to trick their victims into sending them money, giving them access to their bank accounts, or even stealing their identities.

A study from SlashNext even showed that in 2022, there were 255 million phishing scam attacks, a 61% increase compared to 2021. So how do you spot these scams when they show up in your inbox, while browsing websites, or even while using your mobile device? Take a look at what these financial experts say are the most popular phishing scams happening right now and how you can protect your cash.

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1. Fake bank emails

When you're scrolling through your inbox, you might occasionally get emails from your bank, open them up, and resolve what's inside. Certified financial planner Gabriel Lalonde says that before you take any action or click any links, make sure the email is actually from your bank.

Lalonde says cybercriminals are sending fraudulent emails posing as legitimate banks, urging people to verify their account information or reset their passwords through a phishing link.

"Once the user clicks on the link, they will be directed to a fake website that looks like the real bank's website, where they will be asked to enter their login credentials," he says.

To prevent falling for this type of scam, Lalonde recommends always going directly to your bank's website to verify any requests instead of clicking on links provided in emails.

Also, he suggests being wary of emails requesting personal or financial information, and looking for any signs of fraud, such as typos, suspicious sender addresses, or unsecured URLs.

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2. Fake shipping notifications

Another type of email to be aware of are the ones that look like they are coming from shipping or delivery companies. Lalonde says that people are receiving these emails that claim a package has been shipped or that there's an issue with delivery.

"These emails often contain a phishing link or attachment that, once clicked, can install malware on the user's device," he says.

Before clicking on anything inside these emails, Lalonde says verify the sender's identity and go directly to the shipping company's website to track any deliveries instead of clicking on links provided in emails.

3. Hacking into your Zelle account

If you're using the peer-to-peer payment app, Zelle, certified financial planner Lawrence Sprung says to be on the lookout for a large-scale phishing scam taking place.

Sprung explains that fraudsters will call, email, or text you an alert saying that fraudulent activity has happened on your account that needs to be addressed. Once you contact them, they will then walk you through what is needed to resolve the issue, even though there isn't one.

"In the end, they will ask that you test out your account and send money to yourself, but in fact, the fraudsters are redirecting the funds to their accounts," he says.

To protect yourself against this type of fraud, Sprung recommends not responding to the phone call, email or text originally sent and contacting your bank directly to see if there are any issues with your Zelle account.

"Most of the time you will find that there are no issues, but if there are, you will have a representative of the bank on the line to help," he says.

4. Real estate wire transfer

If you're involved in real estate transactions, Sprung says there's a phishing scam happening in the industry that's worth paying attention to.

In this scam, Sprung explains an email is received that looks to be from an attorney representing one of your clients in a real estate transaction and they are preparing for the closing.

"Typically the email will request that you send money through a wire or ACH to the attorney's escrow account for the closing, providing instructions on how exactly it needs to be done," he says.

However, there is no closing and the request is to send the funds to the scammer.

Sprung says you also need to be aware that the email itself may be a phishing scam and not to click on any links or open any attachments.

If you're a busy real estate professional with a lot of clients, Sprung says to always double check these emails and never send funds to anyone without verifying with your client that this is a valid request.