Can You Get Hacked Just By Opening an Email?

Updated May 16, 2025

No, you cannot get hacked just by opening an email. The only way you can get hacked through an email is by interacting with the contents of the email, such as clicking on a malicious link or attachment. 

Continue reading to learn more about malicious emails and how to avoid getting hacked through them. 

What Happens If You Open an Email From a Scammer?

Opening an email from a scammer without clicking anything might seem harmless, but it can still put you at risk. Many scam emails contain tracking pixels – tiny, invisible images embedded in the email. When the email is opened, the pixel loads and notifies the sender, revealing data such as your IP address, device type, the Operating System (OS) that you use and even your location. With this data, scammers can profile you and launch doxxing attacks, which involve publishing your personal information online as a form of harassment. In more serious cases, this can even lead to real-life stalking or physical assault. Additionally, scammers can also use this information to craft more sophisticated and targeted phishing attacks, making it easier for scammers to deceive you.

If you end up clicking a link or downloading an attachment, two things can happen: malware may be installed on your device or you’ll be directed to a spoofed website. Malware can secretly spy on you, tracking your keystrokes, stealing your passwords or accessing files, leading to your sensitive data being compromised. Spoofed websites are designed to resemble legitimate websites, such as major banking institutions or e-commerce websites. These fake sites trick you into entering personal details which scammers can exploit for identity theft or financial fraud. 

How to Avoid Getting Hacked Through Email

Some precautions you can take to avoid getting hacked through email include not clicking links or attachments, verifying the sender’s email address, spotting red flags and installing antivirus software. 

Don’t click unsolicited links or attachments

Always assume that the link you’re being sent is malicious, especially if it’s from an unknown sender. If you are unsure about the safety of the link, hover your cursor over it to preview and inspect the link before clicking. You can also copy and paste the link into Google Transparency Report to check if the site is safe.  

Verify the sender’s email address

One of the easiest ways to check if an email is legitimate is by verifying the sender’s email address. Don’t just rely on the display name – click on it to view the full email address and closely inspect it. Scammers will often spoof familiar names or domains to make fraudulent emails appear trustworthy. Look for subtle misspellings, extra characters or unusual domain names. These small details can help you identify a potential phishing attempt and determine whether the email is safe to interact with. 

Keep in mind that some phishing emails can also come from known contacts whose accounts have been compromised. To confirm legitimacy, reach out to the sender through another communication channel. If the email claims to be from a company, visit their official website and use the listed contact information. If the email claims to be from a friend, family member, coworker or boss, contact them through another messaging platform to ask if they sent the email. If they claim that they did not send the email, they can take action and alert others. 

Look for phishing attempts 

Scam emails often contain warning sights that can help you identify whether the message is legitimate. Here are some common indicators of a phishing email:

• Urgent or threatening language
• Suspicious links and attachments
• Misspellings and grammatical errors
• Warnings from your email service provider
• Too-good-to-be-true offers
• Requests for personal information
• Discrepancies in email addresses and domain names

With the increasing use of AI, cybercriminals have also started using large language models like ChatGPT to make phishing emails harder to spot. Phishing emails that are generated by AI tend to have better grammar and can even mimic the language, tone and style of legitimate emails – making them highly believable.  

Install antivirus software

Antivirus software provides real-time protection by continuously monitoring your device for malware and other known viruses. It works by actively scanning your device system to detect, block, isolate and remove threats before it can cause damage. Having this type of program installed will help keep your device safe from malicious downloads, phishing attempts and suspicious websites. 

Keep Safe From Email Scammers

Email scammers aren’t going away, and as technology advances, so do their techniques for hacking and scamming individuals. It’s important that you know what to look out for so you can keep yourself and your data protected at all times. Before choosing to interact with an unsolicited email, remember to look for common red flags and verify the sender’s email address.