If you use Gmail to get your daily dose of emails you're about to see a small but significant change to your inbox. Google has just announced the launch of a useful upgrade which will make it much easier to tell if a message is really from well-known brands or simply another elaborate scam.
That useful boost is all thanks to the inclusion of Twitter-style blue verification ticks which will be included on emails sent from official accounts.
These icons, which are really simple to spot, will appear right beside the sender's company name.
Google introduced Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) in Gmail in 2021 but this is the first time the US firm has made it simple to see those verified accounts.
"Building upon that feature, users will now see a checkmark icon for senders that have adopted BIMI," Google confirmed in a blog post.
"This will help users identify messages from legitimate senders versus impersonators."
Google says that the update has been introduced to help users and email security systems identify and stop annoying spam and dangerous scams that continue to be pushed out on a daily basis.
"Strong email authentication helps users and email security systems identify and stop spam, and also enables senders to leverage their brand trust.," Google added.
"This increases confidence in email sources and gives readers an immersive experience, creating a better email ecosystem for everyone."
There's no official timeline for the rollout but Google has confirmed that the changes have already begun appearing in some inboxes with a full release expected in the coming days and weeks.
It's been confirmed that all Google Workspace customers, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers along with those who have personal Google Accounts will get the upgrade so watch this space.
This update comes at just the right time with World Password Day, which takes place today May 4, revealing just how many threats are taking place every day.
Microsoft says it tracked a whopping 1,287 password attacks per second (more than 111 million per day) in 2022 and the threats show no signs of stopping.
In fact, phishing-style emails are an increasingly favoured attack method with them up 61 percent from 2021 to 2022.
