The domain is the single hardest thing for a scammer to fake. Here is how to read it, test it, and spot the tricks.
"The email looked official. The logo and signature were perfect. It still turned out to be fake."
A member who learned the hard way
Logos and signatures are easy to copy. The domain is not. That is why, when I check a real client, the first thing I read is the part after the @ in their email. It is the strongest single signal you have.
Wrong question: "Does the email look professional?"
Better question: "Does the part after the @ belong to the real company?"
Looks are decoration. The domain is identity. Read the identity, not the decoration.
Type the domain yourself instead of clicking their link. A link can say company.com but send you somewhere else. Typing it into a fresh tab takes you to the real site, every time.
Sometimes the domain opens a site that says the company has a new name now. That is normal. Companies rebrand and keep a working, honest trail. What you are guarding against is a mismatch: a domain that does not load, does not match the company named, or is a near-copy of a real one.
The domain either belongs to the real company, or it does not. If it does, proceed. If it is missing, mismatched, or a look-alike, stop, no matter how polished the rest of the email looks.
Hold steady, BFF Team. We keep going together.
– Lala