MONEYES share your methods. Do virtually the same thing and it works and allows me to sleep at night (with one eye open).

I agree. I get so much junk email its unbelievable.

EMails are like phone calls to me. If I don't know who it is, it doesn't get answered. In that vein, if there is something I need to know from a financial institution, I'll call them or go in person. I will communicate personally, not online. My online banking activity is kept on a need-to-do basis. It just feels safer that way.

There are a few things that can help keep you safe: always check the email sender matches the email's content, and it it is trying to send you off to another website use a browser that shows you the actual link it is going to. Some are really obvious, like the IRS email scam that comes from a gmail account, but others can be very hard to find.

It's terrible that there are so many things out there that we have to watch out for. Sometimes you just can't be sure who or what is trying to access your personal information. The best advice that I can give is that if you don't know who the email is from and you're not expecting one from a certain company, then don't open it. I know so many people that have made this mistake and either their personal info has been stolen or it has messed up their computers.

Thanks FRANKN. I had not thought of the back door. I will keep a close watch. We have used this particular virus protection for many years and have been very happy with it. It's a little more expensive than some but well worth the price. I have known it to stop incoming emails and return them to sender when it detects a virus. Good stuff there.

Great example of virus protection working there! I would still keep a close eye on your computer and background information. Sometimes those viruses have backdoors and your virus software could miss it.

I received an email yesterday from Amazon. Only it wasn't really from Amazon. It wanted to give me a free gift if I clicked on one of three Easter eggs. I clicked and my virus protection said "no, no!" "This is a pishing site that will take your personal information and do bad things to you." I love my virus protection and will gladly renew it.

It looks like the article's moved here:
https://www.financeglobe.com/blogs/latest-blogs/ftc-and-fcc-warn-consumers-to-protect-themselves-online
but it's still really relevant. We have to protect ourselves online, because with so many of the criminals overseas if you get money taken you probably won't get it back. It is very hard for the agencies to track down the culprits, and if they find them they can't always take action against them.

Re]https://www.financeglobe.com/Finance/Articles/articles/333/0/FTC-and-FCC-Warn-Consumers-to-Protect-Themselves-Online/Page0.html[/URL]

great info! we have to be very vigilant when it comes to guarding our personal info online. We shouldn't take the chance of giving much of this responsibility to agencies that protect us against cyber crimes. so we need to be aware on the current MO of cyber criminals to guard against their cons. good luck to all of us!

Re:
https://www.financeglobe.com/Finance/Articles/articles/333/0/FTC-and-FCC-Warn-Consumers-to-Protect-Themselves-Online/Page0.html