Excellent Advice
This is absolutely true -- perhaps because of this very abuse, most companies don't send emails with a link that takes you directly to their site. Spam does, but companies you're doing business with don't (at least they shouldn't). If you think a message may be legit, don't use the link in the message. Instead, as Jim advises, use your browser to visit the site and contact their customer service department or other contact personnel. An email link might take you to a site that looks legit, but isn't.
Thanks Jim for taking the time to offer this great advice!