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the sender, if the attachment looks in any way odd, don't open it. Shoot an email to the sender and ask if they sent you something before opening; the little bit you'll have to wait for a response is better than the hours you're going to spend fixing your now virus-ridden computer, trust me.

An old scam online that some people still aren't aware of is called "phishing" and scammers use email to perpetuate it. If you get a supposed email from some large banking or credit institution or other business asking for your account information, do not give it.

If you have reason to believe it might be legitimate take the time to contact the institution via phone or email and verify the email. A good rule of thumb to remember is that companies will never ask for your account information via email. However, if you still believe the email is legitimate and you are worried about your account being closed or flagged, contact the company in question before giving your information. If you are wrong, you have just given your personal information to a scammer and your identity will be stolen.

It is also wise to be selective in the emails you choose to forward to friends, family, and co-workers. A large number of forwarded emails are actually hoaxes, scams, and some are even part of "email farming" schemes (getting a list of valid email addresses to send spam email to). By forwarding them on you are unwittingly contributing to the problem. Anything that asks you to "forward to x amount of people" should generally be deleted and not forwarded.

If you feel you "must" forward a particular email, make sure to "clean it up" before sending. Delete all of the previously forwarded email addresses listed and all of the superfluous ">>>>" marks. Take the original piece and cut/paste it into a fresh email from only you. This helps to eliminate the "farming" aspect of such emails.

A Clean Computer Runs Better:

Remember, your computer is a piece of equipment that needs care and general upkeep just like any other equipment or appliance you may own.

I like to joke that the computer is not a "self-cleaning oven". Being online is going to generate a lot of problems and malware that you do not want on your system. If you do not surf safely and responsibly, and periodically clean malicious software out of your computer, it won't work well for very long.

Overall, it is imperative to:
* Always make sure you are running virus protection software and have at least one, good spyware removal tool on your system - make sure to keep these both updated.

* Do periodic system clean-ups & maintenance, and do not install questionable material from pop-up ads and gimmicky websites.

* Be selective in your surfing, downloading, and installing. Think before putting something on your computer that may be harmful.

* Use caution when dealing with email. If you have doubts about anything, delete it.

* Stay abreast of the latest scams/viruses circulating on the Internet. As a member of the online community, you should always know what dangers are out there. The best protection is to be well-informed of what is going on in the World Wide Web.

Learn more about this author, Shanna Riley.
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