What is phishing?
Phishing is attempting to acquire information such as username, passwords, bank details etc by pretending to be a trustworthy source, usually telling you that your account will be locked unless you login and complete the form or update your security details.
Following the link will usually take you to a site which looks identical to the proper site. Entering details on these pages will result in the information being sent to the ‘phishers’ who will then use these details to log into your account and if its your bank - steal your money!
Newer web browsers usually include a phishing filter. Should you click on a malicious link you will (hopefully) be told that the site has been reported as a possible malicious site and no harm will have been done.
REMEMBER: No company should ever ask for login/passwords, in almost all cases you can safely delete these emails.
What is spam/junk email?
Junk email or spam mail is usually just adverts from companies sometimes harmless but on occasions these messages can contain viruses which could damage your computer. Before a message reaches your mailbox it passes through many ‘spam’ mail filters both internally and externally, however, some junk mail can still make it through the filters.
The more your subscribe to email lists or give your email address to companies the more junk mail you will receive. Therefore as part of Key’s Internet policy we recommend that you do not subscribe to ANY email newsgroups or mailing lists.
You should also remember that your Key/Lifestyles email address is for BUSINESS USE ONLY. You should never use it when signing up for personal mailing lists or when shopping online for personal items.
Should I unsubscribe from mailing lists?
If you receive email from a company and you have subscribed to their mailing list in the past then it should be safe enough to unsubscribe. Each email should contain instructions on how to remove yourself from the mailing list or you could go to their web site and search for unsubscribing options.
If you receive junk mail from companies or individuals you do not recognise or haven’t subscribed to DO NOT send an unsubscribe message (Never reply to it either!). Sending an unsubscribe message sends an email back to the spammer. This in turn tells them that someone checks and reads messages sent to this account. They will then target your email address with more messages in the future. Never click on any of the links in the junk mail as this can also alert the spammers that the mail has been read and it could also install malicious software on your PC.
There is no need to send IT the junk mail as chances are we have already got many copies already!
How do I avoid spam?
Spam is almost unavoidable but the following tips should help cut down on the quantity.
- Keep your email address as private as possible. Give it only to those people you really need to.
- When completing forms, if email address is optional leave it blank.
- Don’t list your email address on any web pages. Spammers ‘harvest’ addresses by using programs to search through the web.
How do I filter spam mail?
Mail is checked against many SPAM filters as it makes it way from the sender to the recipient. This process does indeed catch most junk/malicious emails but some do still make it through.
Each month, as part of your Windows Updates, Microsoft updates your junk mail filters.
Mail which gets through the initial filters, but which Outlook then considers to be SPAM will be moved to your ‘Junk Mail Folder’.
How do I check the Junk Mail folder?
The ‘Junk Mail’ folder works in the same as any other folder in your mailbox.
- Click ‘Mail’ in the Navigation Pane.
Click ‘Junk E-Mail’.- Click as normal to open the message you wish to view.
Messages in your junk mail folder may not display properly. Graphics, layout and other coding will be disabled and the email displayed as plain text. Outlook may also prevent you from replying to messages within this folder.
If you are sure the email is not SPAM and does not contain malicious code drag the message to your inbox (or other mail folder) in order to work with it in the normal manner.
How do I display graphics in an email?
Sometimes due to the coding in an email some of the graphics are not automatically downloaded.
Click the bar at the top of the email.- Click ‘Download Pictures’.
The example shows a message in the ‘Junk Mail’ folder with layout and graphics turned off and again after moving the message to the ‘Inbox’ with the formatting and graphics turned on.