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E-mail has become the most popular way to communicate at work and in school. There are many benefits in using e-mail, like convenience, accessibility, and fast transfer of information — locally and globally — to both individuals and groups of people; but there also are disadvantages and some pitfalls. Armed with information about how to handle attachments, spam, junk mail, and scam messages, you can take precautions to protect your computer and in turn reduce problems for everyone.
The goal here is to explain the disadvantages, point out the pitfalls, and show you how to minimize or avoid them by using e-mail responsibly.
E-mail attachments are a double-edged sword. They are one of most powerful features of e-mail, yet they open up your computer and network to viruses and worms that can create havoc.
One of the most common ways that computer viruses and worms are spread is through e-mail attachments. When a virus disguised as an attachment is opened, it has the capability of taking complete control of your computer. It may initiate an attack on another computer or start propagating itself to other e-mail addresses in your address book or hard drive. For information on how to determine whether an attachment poses a security risk, see how to handle attachments.
Spam can be described as unsolicited e-mail; and due to its pointless nature, it is frequently called junk mail. These messages mostly come in the form of advertisements — proclaiming get-rich-quick schemes, pills to help you lose weight, or even free laptops, to name a few types. To get more information on spam, and how to try and reduce the amount of spam you receive, visit Spam and WSU E-Mail.
Junk mail (spam) can be quite frustrating and annoying due to the time wasted on sifting through the spam messages amongst all your valid messages. One way to control spam, to some degree, is by using e-mail message filters. You can create these filters with almost any e-mail client.
Scam e-mails are becoming more and more of a serious problem. The main goal of these types of e-mail messages, and the individuals that generate them, is to obtain money from you. Often, and by clever and authentic looking e-mails, they are able to obtain personal information from an unsuspecting person who believes these requests are valid. Once they ascertain your personal information you could very well become a victim of identity theft. To learn more about scam e-mails, how to safeguard yourself from this pitfall, and how to report a scam message, visit don't be a victim to an e-mail scam.
One way to hook a fish is to use a lure so realistic that the fish thinks it's food. Phishing on the Web works the same way. Thieves send authentic-looking e-mail with real organizations' logos, such as Citibank, eBay, or MSN. If you take the bait, you could get caught and could lose money or even your identity! Phishing for your personal information tells you more along with links to clear, concise explanations, and visual presentations.
If you receive harassing, threatening, or offensive e-mails report this to spam@wayne.edu. It is important that you send the message you received along with full headers. You can display full headers as follows: