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Don't open an e-mail or e-mail attachment unless you expected the message and know the sender. |
| WARNING! |
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Never respond directly to a spam e-mail message. This will only validate your e-mail address and, consequently, you may receive more spam. Forward the spam to an appropriate organization such as the Federal Trade Commission. Visit http://www.ftc.gov/spam/ for more information. |
| WARNING! |
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Never buy anything from a spam message. |
| WARNING! |
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Don't download files and programs from sources you are not familiar with. |
| WARNING! |
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Never follow the advice within an email ‘virus alert’ instructing you to remove a virus from your system without first verifying its validity. Many e-mail hoaxes and viruses masquerade as virus alerts. |
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| TIP |
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Only give your e-mail address to people you trust. |
| TIP |
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Use the "BCC" (Blind Carbon Copy) feature of your e-mail program when emailing a large list of people. This will help keep everyone’s e-mail addresses private. |
| TIP |
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Use a virus protection program. Be sure to update the program’s “virus definitions” as often as possible to help avoid new viruses. |
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Update your software regularly. Software manufacturers such as Microsoft often release patches and software updates to address security problems. |
| TIP |
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Back up your important e-mail and data to minimize the damage a virus can do. |
| TIP |
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Use spam blocking software. Check and see if your ISP offers any spam filtering solutions. |
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Never post your e-mail to a newsgroup, chatroom or website. Many spammers use special programs to “harvest” e-mail addresses from the Internet. If possible, use a secondary e-mail address when needed. |
