Email is a wonderful tool for sending and receiving a lot of information quickly and securely. However, it’s important that your personal information remains secure and safe and that you aren’t open to viruses or hackers.
Here are some safety tips when using email:
1. Change your password regularly and keep it in a safe place.
2. Don’t share your password with anyone.
3. Don’t open attachments from anyone you don’t know.
4. Log out or sign off from your account when you’ve finished looking at/sending your email.
5. Don’t reply to spam or forward chain emails.
6. Keep your personal information personal – don’t share bank or credit card information by email.
7. Your bank will not discuss your private financial situation by email. If you receive any correspondence that claims to come from your bank, telephone your branch to verify it and discuss the matter over the telephone instead.
8. Make sure that you have antivirus software installed and keep it up to date.
9. Look out for malicious emails (they may look like they have come from a financial institution, an e-commerce site, a government agency or any other service or business)
10. Enable filters on your email programs and report spam
11. Pay attention to the website's URL