Internet Safety E-mail
FAQ
Question: What are some
disadvantages of e-mail over postal mail?
Response: Electronic mail can contain viruses in
attachments, someone can easily read your mail without
your knowledge, and you can easily get tons of unwanted
mail (spam).
Question: What are some advantages of e-mail over
postal mail?
Response: Electronic mail travels a lot faster than
postal mail, there is no fee for postage, and it is very
convenient to use.
Question: How can I avoid spam?
Response: You should avoid giving out your e-mail
address to companies, unless required for a certain
purpose. Also, if you post on bulletin boards, avoid
posting with your e-mail address, unless it is required.
Question: Will bad things happen to me if I don't
forward this chain letter I got?
Response: Perhaps, but not because you did not
forward it.
Question: Will bad things happen to me if I do
forward this chain letter I got?
Response: If the chain letter is forwarded to an
address-reaper, they will take all the addresses listed,
and start spamming all those individuals, including you.
The e-mail addresses are guaranteed to be valid, because you
were able to forward an e-mail to them. On the other hand, if you forward
this chain letter, someone you sent it to may consider it
as spam, and report you to your Internet Service Provider,
and you could lose your account!
Question: How can I tell if an e-mail is a hoax?
Response: The best thing you can do is to use your
common sense. Also take notice of any dates or events
mentioned within
the email to see if it current. Also pay attention to
current events. If the item described in the e-mail is
truly urgent,
then it should make the news. HoaxBusters.org
keeps track of hoaxes pervading the Internet and if it is
a hoax, it will probably be listed there. You can
also check if it is listed on our Alerts page. To
access the Alerts page click, Alerts on the left.
Question: I keep getting e-mails with a love letter
attached. Do I have a secret admirer?
Response: Quite possibly, but I doubt they are
actually admiring you. Unless your secret admirer is a
not-so-secret admirer, I'd suggest you stay away from the
attachment.
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