Here’s a good rule of thumb when deciding how to respond to a potentially fraudulent email message, letter, telephone call or other type of communication: if a stranger walked up to you on the street and said the exact same thing, would you believe them?

For example, you’re walking down the street when a random guy in a shabby gray suit approaches you. He says, “Greetings, I am a foreign dignitary currently in exile and would like to ask for your assistance in transferring my fortune into the United States, totaling 250 million USD. If you help, I will let you keep 25% of that amount. I will need your checking account number to complete this process.”

You’d tell the clown to get lost.

Or perhaps he says, “Congratulations! You have been selected in the Canadian lottery as the top prizewinner! In order to claim your prize of 2.5 million USD, please give me a cashier’s check for $2,945.23 to cover taxes and other fees.”

Unless you’re very gullible, your reaction would be the same.

I know that the economy isn’t good at the moment. You might be facing layoffs, reduction in pay, or worse. Your employer might be going out of business completely. You get an email that promises instant riches and it seems like all your prayers have been answered.

These thieves know that. That’s why they’re in the fraud business to begin with. They’re counting on your sleepless nights of worrying about where you’re going to get the money to make it. And they’re only going to make your situation worse.

You have to keep your guard up. Imagine that offer coming from a stranger on the street, and you will instantly see through it.