Connection
The e-mail is today one of the most important sources of scams. In reaching you directly in your personal box, the authors come more easily in your privacy. Do not rely on antispams and antivirus built into your mailbox. Indeed, they are not 100% effective. You must therefore be careful.
The dangers
The phishing
The term "phishing" is the contraction of "fish" and "phreaking" (piracy of telephone systems). It is a new type of scam appeared a few years on the Internet and which rages mainly by e-mail by carrying sometimes on regardless the antispam filters. Phishing is to send an e-mail copying an official presentation, most often suck as a bank, a financial organization, a bid site, etc. in the aim to bring you to provide personal and confidential information.
Not to be the victim of this trap, never give personal and confidential information (for example, number of credit card) by e-mail. Do not trust the links in e-mail and destroy it in doubt. You can always contact by other means (for example, from the true official site).
The hoaxes and rumors
They are actually messages that are sent to a large number of people and which give wrong information. This type of messages is quite common. Do not fall into the trap by forwarding them to all your friends because they generate spam. Even if this type of mails is not very dangerous, destroy them.
The false promotional offers
Many "miraculous" promotional offers walk on the Internet. If you receive one, don't trust them. In most cases, they are scams. They will ask you for money or some confidential data that will be used without your knowledge. If the rumors "pollute" your inbox, false promotional offers can be a real danger for your personal data.
The viruses
A antivirus is never a 100% guaranteed. Mistrust therefore always the e-mails containing an attachment (in particular, with extensions such as .zip, .exe, .pif, .doc or .scr), even if the message is from an acquaintance. Indeed, this one may have been infected and his PC can serve as platform to send viruses. In doubt, ask a confirmation.
The solidarity strings
You have already perhaps received this kind of messages in the past. For example, to save a young sick boy, they explain you that if you transfer this message to ten friends, the poor boy will receive 1 euro per person to treat. These messages are unfortunately false in most cases and play on your sensibility. Even if they are not very dangerous, be careful and do not send them to your friends.
The frauds
Someone contacts you individually with a proposal. For example, one of the widespread scams is based on an alleged abroad inheritance. A dishonest person requires your help to recover his inheritance pinned abroad. In return, he will give you a substantial part. Do not fall into the trap! You will see. The person will ask you money and you will get nothing in return.