Like millions of people across the globe, you probably use a computer or smartphone to access the Internet to handle most of your personal and business tasks. You might use email everyday, and often each day, to do your job, as well as communicate with family and friends.
The volume of email you receive and pop-up messages on your screen put your finances and identity at risk and pose threats to your computer or phone by malware. Prevention and attention pays off when it comes to avoiding email and other related Internet scams, so know what to look for and how to avoid scammers.
"Phishing" is scamming through the Internet or email. The scammers' objective is to get access to your valuable personal information, such as bank account, credit card, and Social Security numbers.
Scammers also try to gain access to your computer files where you store that personal information, as well information like your online passwords.
You don't have to open every email that appears in your inbox. Scammers design fraudulent emails to trick you into opening or replying to their messages. Never answer and give out personal, identifying, or financial data. Legitimate companies or other sources, such as a government agency like the IRS, don't ask for this info in email messages. Contact the sender by another method, like by phone, if you have any doubts about an email.
Any email from a sender you don't know, or any message that looks odd—even if it's from someone you know—should be sent to your spam folder or deleted without opening. Some scammers or virus or malware creators access user address books, and use that information to reach new victims. So, it's possible a fraudulent message looks like it came from a sender you know.
Don't download files unless you're sure of the sender and file type. Download the wrong file and scammers might get instant access to your computer or might cause serious and permanent damage to your computer.
Email accounts generally provide a tool to filter out potential spam or to send spam into a bulk email folder. Consider which of these options are available when picking which Internet Service Provider (ISP) or email service to use.
To limit your exposure, consider using two email addresses—one that you use for personal messages and one for shopping and other services.
Take your time when taking care of tasks on the Internet. You could be lured to a secondary site, which might look like the website of a company you do business with. Once there, if you provide your data, then it's in the hands of the scammers.
In addition to taking care when reviewing and opening email, there are other steps you can take to keep your personal information and finances safe while enjoying all the convenience and power of the Internet.
Beware of look-alike sites and senders. Email and Internet scammers design their messages and sites to look like the source is a company you do business with or a government agency. Know how to recognize secure sites, such as URLs beginning with "https:" (the "s" means "secure"), or a padlock in the address bar. Watch out for redirections, or links that might send you to a fraudulent site.
When making purchases on the Internet, also check for trust marks and other signs that your information is less likely to be hacked. It's probably difficult to say your online purchases will always be safe, but look for basic information that gives you a sense of protection before providing your credit card information.
Use anti-virus and firewall software, and keep it updated. Choose computer settings to screen for harmful communications and virus attacks. Anti-virus and firewall software can prevent harmful software from installing on your computer, and can fix breaches in your Internet security. Firewall software also helps protect your privacy on the Internet and blocks unwanted sources from accessing your system.
Updates to keep your system secure are often automatic. They might be activated and installed by your security software, or by your computer or operating system manufacturer, like Windows, for example. Don't ignore updates; there are new threats all the time, and your equipment needs to be up to date.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers consumer resources to avoid these risks, and help if you're a victim. You can forward suspicious emails to the FTC at spam@uce.gov. You can also file an online complaint form through the FTC, or learn more about spam.
