Billions of Gmail and Outlook users have encountered 9 Code Red warnings – ignore them at your peril

SOME email scams are more obvious than others, and it can happen to the best of us to fall for one.

If you fall for a scam, the best thing is not to panic and take action.

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The action you take depends on the type of email scam.

Luckily, the experts at US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has several tips on its website.

Whether you use Gmail, Outlook, or any other email provider, the advice is universal and shouldn’t be ignored.

The best advice is to never click on suspicious links in emails, give out credit card information to strangers, or panic over a threatening email and send money to the sender.

If you make this mistake, you can follow the advice below.

What to do if you gave out credit card information

In this case, contact your bank or the company associated with the credit or debit card immediately.

The FTC says: “Tell them it was a fraudulent charge.

“Ask them to reverse the transaction and give you your money back.”

What to do if a scammer makes an unauthorized transfer from your bank account?

The advice on this is similar.

Immediately connect your bank, explain the situation and ask them to reverse it.

What to do if you pay a scammer with a gift card

You need to contact the company associated with the gift card and explain what happened.

The FTC warns, “Save the gift card itself and the gift card receipt.”

What to do if you send a transfer to a scammer?

Contact the transfer company as soon as you notice it.

The FTC lists popular money transfer companies and the correct phone numbers on their website.

For example, they direct Western Union customers to call 1-800-448-1492.

What to do if you send a scammer a transfer through your bank?

In this case, the bank is the company you need to call immediately and ask for a reverse transaction.

What to do if you’re sending money to a scammer using a money transfer app

You need to contact the money transfer app yourself.

The FTC states, “If you linked the app to a credit or debit card, report the fraud to your credit card company or bank. Ask them to undo the encumbrance.”

What to do if you give out your social security number?

You have to go fast IdentityTheft.gov.

Follow the instructions on the website to report the incident.

Visit the website for more advice and next steps.

What to do if you give your username and password to a scammer

You should change your passwords immediately.

Make it strong and safe.

Consider enabling two-factor authentication for your accounts to make them extra secure.

What to do if a hacker takes over your computer?

Some malicious links in emails can upload malware that gives criminals control over your computer.

The FTC says: “Update your computer’s security software, run a scan and delete anything identified as a problem.

“Then take other steps to protect your personal information.”