Webupon

Almost everybody today has an email account, or has used one at some point. There are several types of email accounts, and email platforms. The basic rules however are common. They all work under the same conditions, and they all are subject to the same threats.

This is a list of what you should do to protect your email account from spam, phishing and other kinds of fraud.

If you are using a POP3 account and a client like Outlook, Outlook Express or Lotus Notes, you should always take the following precautions:

1. ALWAYS enable the antivirus function that scans emails before downloading them to your computer.
2. ALWAYS have an antispyware software installed and make sure you scan your computer regularly.
3. Use your provider’s security settings. Every email provider has security functions for their email services. Find them, study them and USE THEM.
4. Always update your software with security updates and patches. If you are using Microsoft Windows, enable the automatic updates, in order to receive all new security patches and service packs.

If you are using a webmail account, you should always keep in mind the following:

1. Keep your antivirus and antispyware software up to date. Many pieces of spyware will look for your webmail (i.e. Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail) login details, hijack them, and either block you out, or use them to send spam to strangers and people in your contact list.
2. When you login to your webmail, NEVER save the password on the computer, even at your home computer. If you do, a spyware that slipped in through your firewall, will be able to retrieve it. Like in the photo below, DO NOT TICK the “Remember my password” option.
3. Do not give your email to many websites. If you need to register with a lot of websites, open two email accounts. One to communicate with your friends, and a “secondary” one to use to register anywhere you want. This way the “secondary” one will be the one to be subject to spam, informational emails, and likely to end up in email lists from around the world. This will protect your “primary” email.
4. Do not keep “sensitive emails” in your Inbox (or other folders in your account). If you keep emails with login details of your bank, your PayPal or other sensitive accounts, if your account is hijacked, that detail will be passed to the hacker.
5. Keep backups of your contact lists. If your account is hijacked, then use the backup list to alert your contacts. This is imperative. It might save your friends from being hijacked BECAUSE OF YOU.
6. Always type your webmail address. Do not choose it from your Favourites or Bookmarks. The reason is that spyware may change the actual address, and when you click on your Hotmail selection you can end up in a phishing site, that will acquire your email details.
7. If your account is hijacked and then you should ask for professional assistance in order to trace the hackers and possibly retrieve the account (where possible)
8. Always keep your passwords safe. Change your password often and if your account has an option to automatically ask you for a new password every some number of days, by all means activate that function. Do not be lazy to type your password. It might make all the difference between you accounts safety or loss.
9. Last but not least, do not make your email available to Facebook, Bebo or other social networking websites. The reason is that there are people who just go around collecting emails, to create emailing lists. Do not allow yourself to become a victim.

You might think that following lists like this, is a long and painful procedure. BELIEVE ME IT IS NOT. It is just commons sense. Use common sense and you will be on the safe side. Having your email hijacked is really a lot lot more trouble. I have been there, and I know !