Go phish: How to tell if an email is legitimate

A recent email informed Jane that she’d won a pile of money. How nice.

Jane isn’t stupid -- she knows she almost certainly hasn’t won anything. But she wants to know if there’s an easy way to tell if an email is legit.

First of all, she and everyone else can dismiss all those emails saying you’ve won the lottery or are needed to help move a huge amount of money from an African bank account. Those are bogus.

ASK LAZ: Smart answers to consumer questions

Phishing emails can be tougher to spot. These are the messages that masquerade as official communications from well-known businesses or groups but are in fact sneaky attempts by scammers to get you to disclose personal info.

How can you hook the phishers? Check out today’s Ask Laz video.

If you have a consumer question, email me at asklaz@latimes.com or contact me via Twitter @Davidlaz.