E-mail security helps us all

As you might imagine, we get a large number of e-mails at several addresses, from all over the world. Many contain funny stuff, inspirational stuff and, principally, a lot of just plain stuff. But then, do you enjoy reading funny emails from friends? Are you tempted  to forward them to your other friends? Then we strongly recommend you read this carefully as a matter of security, yours and others'.  There is information left over from the people who got the message before you, namely their e-mail addresses and names. As the messages get forwarded along, the list of addresses builds, and builds, and builds, and all it takes is for one of them to get a virus, and his or her computer can send that virus to every e-mail address that has come across his computer. Or someone can take all of those addresses and sell them or send junk mail, or even try to apply for a credit card in your name. How can you save yourself and your friends from all this trouble?>

STEP 1

After you click on forward, Delete all of the email-addresses that appear in the body of the message (at the top or elsewhere). Highlight them and delete them, backspace them, cut them - whatever it is you know how to do.

STEP 2

Refrain from using the To: or Cc: columns When you send an e-mail to more than one person, do NOT use the To: or Cc: columns for adding e-mail address. Always use the BCC: (blind carbon copy) column for listing the e-mail addresses. This is the way people you send to see only their own e-mail addresses. When you send to BCC: your message will automatically say "Undisclosed Recipients" in the "TO:" field of the people who receive it.

STEP 3

Other things to remove from e-mails that you want to forward

    * Carats (those annoying <<<>>> things that can build up in an oft-forwarded e-mail)

    * Unnecessary extra lines/spaces

    * Grammatical and spelling errors

    * Attachments that are copies of the e-mail that you are forwarding; this is a waste of bandwidth and a golden opportunity for spammers/virus spreaders

    * Banners that companies place at the bottom of your e-mails; such as the "Free emoticons for your email!" or "make free pc to phone calls with ----"

We know most of our readers know this already, but there are those who don't - and anyway, we all have friends, acquaintances, enemies and such who still send their e-mails with all the previous addresses. And then we wonder why we get so much spam - not to mention things such as this!