Some messages are more suspicious than others, but be especially cautious if the message has any of the general characteristics listed below:
- it suggests tragic consequences for not performing some action
- it promises money or gift certificates for performing some action
- it offers instructions or attachments claiming to protect you from a virus that is undetected by anti-virus software
- it claims it’s not a hoax
- there are multiple spelling or grammatical errors, or the logic is contradictory
- there is a statement urging you to forward the message
- it has already been forwarded multiple times (evident from the trail of email headers in the body of the message)
So don’t resend that email. If you want to check the validity of an email, there are some websites that provide information about hoaxes and urban legends:
- Urban Legends and Folklore: http://urbanlegends.about.com
- McAfee Security Virus Hoaxes: http://home.mcafee.com/VirusInfo/VirusHoaxes.aspx
If you wish to discuss any issues or concerns about online security, please contact robbie.walker@port.ac.uk or mike.meredith@port.ac.uk.
