Email is based on an old set of protocols with few privacy protections. Don’t send your most sensitive information (like your Social Security number) over email if possible. Use encrypted chat or a voice call instead.

Typing in a few letters in the “to:” field of an email often results in your email service/client suggesting an autocompletion. This is a handy feature, but one that can backfire. For instance, it might result in you inadvertently sending sensitive data to someone who shouldn’t have it.

The “Nigerian prince” scheme is one of the best-known email scams, but it’s hardly the only one. Others to look out for include messages purporting to be from government agencies (which pretty much never communicate with individuals this way) and communications from ISPS and software vendors, if they claim to include software patches/updates that would […]

Email attachments can be dangerous. They might contain malware that triggers an infection when downloaded. Even if you receive an attachment from someone you know, think about it before opening it and, if you’re unsure if it’s legitimate, follow up with that person separately. Cyberattackers have become adept at spoofing return addresses to make it […]

You might occasionally send sensitive emails containing words and/or attachments intended only for a specific person. To prevent these items from being copied or forwarded, you can take advantage of features in Gmail and Outlook that encrypt your messages and ensure they are of no use to anyone other than original intended recipient.

Today’s automatic filters are pretty good at keeping spam out of your inbox. However, they don’t catch everything, meaning the occasional oddball message will still slip through. Good news: You can protect your account with advanced filters configured for specific addresses and domains. Gmail, Yahoo and other major mail providers all include these features.