Email 101

Email safety

Email is not totally secure, so you should avoid sending sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, passwords, or your Social Security Number. In addition, you may receive emails from scammers and cybercriminals, so you'll need to know how to deal with those messages. Here are a few things to watch out for:

Spam emails

• Spam: Spam is another term for junk email or unwanted email advertisements. It's best to ignore or delete these messages. Luckily, most email services offer some protection, such as spam filtering.
• Phishing: Certain emails pretend to be from a bank or trusted source in order to steal your personal information. It's easy for someone to create an email that looks like it's from a specific business. Be especially cautious of any emails requesting an urgent response.
• Attachments: Some email attachments can contain viruses and other malware. It's generally safest not to open any attachment that you weren't expecting. If a friend sends you an attachment, you may want to ask if he or she meant to send it before downloading.

For more information, check out Email Tips for Scams and Spam in our Internet Safety tutorial.