If you've ever entered your email somewhere on the net or subscribed to newsletters or anything else then obviously you'll get lots of deals sent to you. But be careful because it's also around this time that some people will try to get some money from you by sending ransomware to you. Make a mistake and open an attachment containing ransomware and your computer will be "locked" until you pay a "ransom." How to avoid this? Don't open emails sent to you by stores you've never heard. 90% discount? Nope. Don't open that email.
Thanks so much for the pointers, @Denis Hard! It's crazy that these unscrupulous people will take advantage of any and all situations available to them, including the festive season; a time for giving and being kinder to each other. I'm very cautious as it stands, and if I see email from a sender I don't recognise, I mark it as spam and bin it immediately. I never open anything I don't recognise.
Thanks for the heads up, I also am wary of the emails that I get and I don't really open emails that are from a suspicious source. The crooks are getting creative now huh, by naming their virus "ransomware".
Thank you for the warning. I think I've read about this before but I can't remember where. I agree and I am also very careful about what mail I open. It also helps that these days I use my email minimally as I rely on other venues to communicate more and more, so the most I use my email for is for opening mail from stores I already frequent and a few services I've signed up for online. I check my spam folder from time to time but I only ever click on familiar mail that might have been sent there by mistake.
I never open attachments, and I hate emails with too many images in them anyhow and avoid them. I only look for coupon codes these days or free shipping. Until Christmas is over, I don't believe in the bargains out there, but I do get some spam emails with invoices attached that have hijacked a genuine email address. I only looked because I am concerned about card fraud which has happened to me before.
