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Computer Skills – Email
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Email Basics
Email is a pretty common form of communication today. If you are interested in learning to use email, feel free to check out our Email Tutorial for the free email service our website provides. This tutorial covers many email basics that can be applied to any email service.
Email Software
Email software is what you use to create and receive electronic mail. It is the easiest way to communicate online. If youregister on websites or purchase items online you will need an email address for your contact information. Print or view our Useful Icons document as a quick reference about the tools found in email software.
Email Warnings
Beware of SCAMS. Advice on Scams: Scambusters http://www.scambusters.com/ gives information about
how to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft, or of frauds such as pyramid selling, or money laundering
scams. The Office of Fair Trading describes SCAMS as:
Scheming Crafty Aggressive Malicious
Their advice is that If it looks too good to be true it probably is!
1. Nigerian 419 email fraud: These are emails from Africa offering to share huge sums of money with you if you let
them use your bank to help them get it out of the country. They ask for your bank account details and an
administration fee. But it’s a scam. If you comply and pay a small administration fee, then there’ll be some
complication and more money will be requested again and again. The big money for you will never materialize.
At worst you might get an invite to Africa where being held to ransom is a further threat.
2. Lotteries and Prize Draws: You may get emails saying you are a winner in an overseas lottery or prize draw and
asking for your bank account details so that the cash can be transferred. You may also be asked to send money in
order to claim your prize. These are scams.
3. Phishing: Many Internet fraudsters use a technique called phishing? sending out hoax emails, which look like
they have come from your Bank or other online account such as Ebay Paypal. These often say that there has
been a problem with unauthorized access to your account, or that you need to reconfirm your details for security
reasons. Links in the email would take you to a page that could look like it belongs to your bank, where you will be
asked to enter your passwords and personal information. If you followed these instructions and entered your
details you would be enabling the fraudsters to access your accounts. It might be safer to use a search engine to
find the web site of your bank than a link in an unverifiable email.
Free in the cloud
Available Online Only
Free email options
Free for DownloadAvailable Online Only
(You’ll need an email address; it works like Outlook)
If you email often, you may want to consider Thunderbird. It is much easier to use than a website.
Relies on free email (Fair Shake mail works)