Hoax emails
With viruses causing so many problems for PC users all over the world, its hardly surprising that an email saying you could have a virus would be a concern.
That is what hoax emails are designed to do.
There are currently hundreds of hoax emails floating around the internet, often passed on to friends and family by people who genuinely believe they are doing you a favour by sending you the email.
However, if you follow the advice contained in many of these messages, which often tells you to delete vital files on your PC, you could do permanent damage to your computer.
Rather than preying on software vulnerability, virus hoaxes, along with email chain letters, prey on people's vulnerability and trust.
Indeed, with the widespread use of anti-virus software, hoax emails offer a "backdoor" way into your PC for unscrupulous individuals. If you receive a chain letter via email, treat it as the spam that it is.
Be safe from hoax emails by following these simple steps:
1. Buy anti-virus software
2. Install a firewall
3. Check out the virus update section of the Supanet website for up-to-date virus information.
4. Be suspicious of emails that say anything along the lines of "forward this message to everyone you know".
5. If in doubt, check it out. The most prominent and recent hoax emails are listed on the sophos website, which has a dedicated hoax and chain letter section.
Additional advice on keeping your computer secure can be found by clicking here.