How to spot an e-mail scam

I recently received the following e-mail message:

Dear Valued HSBC Customer

We believe that, as in everything else, you deserve the best in banking too. Therefore protective measures is been applied to satisfy our striving customer needs. Our technical service department is currently upgrading our SSL servers to enhance adequate banking security,to give our customers a better, fast and secure online banking service this YEAR 2006. Due to the recent update of the servers, you are kindly requested to please confirm your banking details by following the link below. .

https://Securityalert.HSBC.co.uk/1/2/

HSBC Bank Plc
Security Advisor
HSBC Bank PLC.

Dear Valued HSBC Customer doesn't quite ring true, and even if the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation wanted to use such a cheesy greeting, they surely wouldn't capitalize valued and customer.

The word too is redundant, in as in everything else, the best in banking too.

Protective measures is been applied speaks for itself, but striving customer needs doesn't make sense, and neither does to enhance adequate banking security, which is also missing a space after its comma.

A better, fast and secure online banking service is just confusing, as is this YEAR 2006.

Nobody says you are kindly requested.

There are two full stops after by following the link below.

The signature says HSBC Bank PLC twice, but with two different capitalizations for PLC. The first one appears to be intended as the name of the sender.

If you are going to set up a scam in which you pretend to be a prestigious international bank, in English, my advice is to have an English speaker read the message back before pressing "send".