Five email tips that help you to stay safe — and reduce spam

There have been a lot of news reports about botnets and spam lately. We’re not sure why. Maybe it’s because there are so many new computer users – or maybe it’s because we’re living in an age of misinformation, and many assume that their security software will always keep them safe. When someone clicks a link in a spam email. or links in counterfeit emails from banks and other kinds of financial institution, there are three things which could happen – and none of them are good.

It’s so important to think before you open an attachment to an email – or click a link in an email. Security software is necessary and it usually does a great job. But there will never be a software program that can protect you as well as your own good common sense. When it comes to email, as with almost everything else in life;  it’s always best to think before you act.

Here are some email safety tips to help keep you safe and out of trouble:

1. Never open attachments in email unless you know who sent them – for sure. Don’t assume because the from address says auntie-millie that it came from auntie Millie. Botnet Trojans are notorious for picking up a random email address and putting it in the “From” line. If auntie Millie doesn’t send attachments and suddenly she’s gone hog wild – call her up and ask. Do not ever open an attachment from an email unless you’re positive you know what it is and who sent it. Seems simple enough but, believe it or not, we get thousands of mails every week from botnets – networks of infected home PCs, just like yours, firing off hundreds of emails every day, and those PC owners aren’t even aware of it. We used to tell you to save the attachment and scan it first, but things have gotten so bad that you need to suspicious of any attachment that comes via email – unless you were expecting it and you are positive of its source.

2. Turn off your preview pane – If you’re using Outlook Express, Windows Mail, Windows Live Mail – or any mail program that allows you to preview your email – please turn off your preview pane. Spammers often send images in email trying to sell a product or service – the images serve two purposes:

a. To sell something
b. To track the email and see if you opened it.

When you view your email in the preview pane, it’s the same as opening it. You say you’re going to miss uncle John’s pictures from Honduras? No! If you see an email you know is from uncle John, you can double click it and see his lovely photos. You don’t want to help spammers by letting them know you’ve open their spam – and telling them your email address valid, do you? By viewing your email in the preview pane, that’s exactly what you’re doing. Turn it off and double-click any emails you want to view. It’s very easy to turn off the preview pane. In Outlook Express, Windows Mail, and Windows Live Mail,  click “View” on the toolbar, then click “Layout”, and uncheck “Show preview pane”. It’s that simple.

3. NEVER click links in money-related emails – NEVER, EVER! Many people think identity theft is caused by hackers who lurk in the shadows. That’s not true. Most identity think happens because people are tricked into giving their personal information (like Social Security numbers, checking account information, credit card information, etc.) to the criminals. That’s right. Hackers aren’t the reason people get their identities stolen, people are.

Most identity theft occurs because people  incorrectly assume if the “From” address says Bank of America that the email really came from Bank of America. It may well be from your bank or financial institution or credit card company – but if it is, you can be 100% positive they’re not going to ask you to “click here to verify (or change) your password”. Never. Never. Never. If you click links in those kinds of emails, odds are you will wind up on a site that is an exact clone of the real site. And if you fill any forms on that counterfeit page, you could, give up your password and username to criminals. Then you’re in big trouble. Don’t click links in emails from banks or other financial institutions asking you to verify your account or change your password or other account information. Chances are good that if you do, you’ll find yourself in trouble.

Other kinds of spam may ask you to click a link to download a greeting card or software – if you click these links and download anything from these kinds of emails, you could end up being part of a botnet. If you download a botnet, and your security software doesn’t stop you, your computer may be turned into a zombie under the control of a spammer. And that spammer will use your computer, without your knowledge, to send spam. If that happens – you’re part of the spam problem.

Think before you click. Seems rather elementary, but like we said before, we get thousands of emails every week from people using home PCs just like yours, who were tricked into clicking a link and have found their computers to be infected. They’re now part of a botnet because someone using their computer clicked a link or opened an attachment — without thinking.

Or worse, clicked a link and gave some criminal their financial account password(s) and user name(s) and had their accounts drained or their identities stolen or both. Don’t rely on software to protect you! Think before you click!

4. Always use the BCC line when sending an email to multiple recipients – If you put 4, 5, 6 or more addresses in the CC line, each one of those people will see the email addresses of all the others. Not only will they know how many others you sent that email to, they’ll know their email addresses as well. This is not good! Be courteous, use the BCC line and don’t expose everyone’s email address to everyone else you send mail to. You wouldn’t like someone doing that to you, so don’t do it to anyone else.