Combat E-mail Viruses and Spam

Help protect your e-mail account from viruses and spam by following these simple recommendations:

Do not open attachments from unknown senders.

Do not open attachments from unknown senders.

Do not forward messages or attachments from unknown senders.

Do not forward messages or attachments from unknown senders.

Do not forward messages or attachments from unknown senders.

Responding simply confirms to the sender that yours is a valid e-mail address and increases the probability that your e-mail address will remain on the sender’s distribution list, or be distributed to other spammers.

Do not use the preview feature in your e-mail program.

To determine valid e-mail addresses, spammers may use methods that track when a message is viewed, even if the recipients do not open or reply to the message.

Always use caution when clicking on embedded links in e-mail messages, and never click on links in spam messages.

Sometimes links can take you to a web page that automatically starts downloading a virus or file that contains a virus.

Delete unsolicited messages from unknown senders.

A spam message may contain a virus or other program that could damage your computer if opened.

Do not make purchases from unsolicited e-mail messages.

Unsolicited e-mail messages are particularly suspect since spammers can easily counterfeit return addresses. If you need to make a purchase online, go to the vendor's secure Web site.

Never respond to unsolicited e-mail messages that ask for any personal identifying information.

Never provide your Social Security Number, name, address, mother's maiden name, or other personal identifying information in response to an unsolicited e-mail message. Many spammers can counterfeit a return address, such as a bank's, and trick unsuspecting recipients into revealing confidential information.

Use the blind copy (Bcc) field when sending e-mail messages to a large distribution list.

Using the Bcc field conceals your recipients' e-mail addresses from the other recipients.

Do not provide your e-mail address to newsgroup lists, online public forums, or Web sites.

Spammers may utilize techniques to harvest e-mail addresses from public forums and Web sites.

Never give your primary e-mail address to anyone you don't trust.

Never give your primary e-mail address to anyone you don't trust.

Use one or more secondary e-mail address.

Use a secondary e-mail address for purchasing online merchandise, submitting online registration forms, or requesting online information and offers. This helps protect your primary e-mail account from abuse.

Configure Outlook to automatically handle junk mail in your campus e-mail account.

Configure Outlook to automatically handle junk mail in your campus e-mail account.