Where there is great public fear, wicked people lurk in the shadows to seek an advantage. The internet can be a wonderful place to do business, learn, and express yourself. It can also be a good place to get caught up in identity theft, bad products, phishing scams, and spyware. Safe internet browsing is vital.
The Swine Flu has become among the most feared new potential disease outbreaks. Due to perceived shortages in available vaccines and anti-viral drugs, many spammers are sending out suspicious emails that might catch the interest of those who are concerned about this disease.
Spam Emails Regarding Swine Flu Are Not Safe
Some of these emails contain links to purchase pharmaceutical products. It is important that you do serious research before you order any pharmaceutical drugs over the internet. It is very unlikely that you will find a good, safe bargain on a drug due to an unsolicited email. Serious research is necessary when considering any form of medical treatment. This is best done in the form of a consultation with a doctor from your local community. Do not trust unsolicited emails about medical health information.
It is also important not to click any supporting links that you might find in these swine flu scam emails. They may be phishing for your personal information or passwords. Phishing scams can lead to identity theft or the use of your email or social networks as a spamming hub.
How To Identify Possible Scam Emails
The most common way to identify a scam email is to analyze the sender. If it is a trusted friend, a mailing list to which you have intentionally subscribed, or someone to whom you have recently given your email address, then it is probably safe to check out the links. However, sometimes your friends’ emails might be co-opted by a phishing scam as well. Many phishing scams will have strange spellings or unusual titles. Before clicking a link, try investigating the organizations involved on a search engine. Other users will have commented on social networks about the service if it is legitimate.
Always surf the world wide web with extreme caution. Keep up-to-date virus scan and anti-spyware software. Never click suspicious links. Before buying a product online or giving personal information, make sure to research everything involved very carefully.
