Submitted by katie on Wed, 02/02/2011 - 17:16
- Don't open email attachments that you are not expecting, or which have come from someone you do not know. When you open such an email, make sure that your anti-virus software is up-to-date and pay close attention to any warnings from your browser or email program.
- You can use anonymity software which can help you hide your chosen email service from anyone who might be monitoring your internet connection. A good, free software programme to do this is Tor. You can find out more about this in chapter 8 of Security in-a-box at http://security.ngoinabox.org/chapter-8. If you don't want to give away information about your identity through your email, do not register a username or 'Full Name' that is related to your personal or professional life.
- You can avoid getting spam (unwanted or junk email) by guarding your email address and distributing it sparingly. Also, never open or reply to any emails you consider to be spam, because spammers will take this as a proof of the legitimacy of the address and will just send you more spam. Consider using a spam filter, but remember that it needs to be monitored as it may mistake a genuine email for spam.
- You should try to avoid your emails being mistaken for spam by the recipients. Spam filters will block messages with certain words in the subject heading. It is worth scanning your spam folder for subject lines that are getting blocked. A list of sample words blocked by spam filters can be found at http://www.mequoda.com/articles/subject-line-spam-trigger-words/
- Beware of email scams. Many scam emails pretend to come from a bank, Ebay, Paypal, or other online shops. If you get an email telling you that your account is in danger of being shut down, or that you need to take immediate action by updating your account information, be very suspicious: these messages are usually scams. Another frequent scam has you receiving an email from someone you know which says that they have had an emergency and asks you to send them money. This person's email account is likely to have been compromised by a scammer.
- Pay close attention if your browser suddenly gives you messages about invalid security certificates when you attempt to access a secure webmail account. It could mean that someone is tampering with the communication between your computer and the server in order to intercept your messages.
