Email has become an integrated part of our daily lives and it is quite usual to send an electronic message rather than make a phone call. Email provides a means to stay in touch with friends, communicate with colleagues, receive various subscriptions and promotional information from online sources. Millions of email are sent every day in Trinidad and Tobago, and a significant percentage is likely to contain personal information that can be a target for cyber criminals worldwide.
Risks
Since email is one of the easiest ways for criminals to target potential victims, there are a few things to be aware of:
- Delete anything that looks unusual. If it comes from the email address of a friend, family member or colleague, they have other means of establishing contact.
- Use strong passwords to protect your email. A weak password could leave your personal information vulnerable.
- Spyware can be sent as attachments that allow criminals to harvest your information without your knowledge.
- Viruses and other malicious software can spread through your entire contact list without your knowledge.
- Phishing scams attempt to trick you into opening attachments or share personal information. They may appear to be from companies that you trust, but are often fraudulent websites used to steal your identity.
- Spam or Junk mail can fill your inbox with all mentioned above and make it more likely for you to unintentionally open a malicious attachment.
Protect Yourself
- Delete any suspicious mail and avoid replying to unsolicited emails sent by persons who you may not know.
- Be cautious of opening any email attachments.
- Set strong passwords and change them regularly.
- Ensure your computers and devices have the most current security software, web browser, and operating systems.