• Don’t open any attachment(s) from someone you don’t know.  If you receive an email from an unknown sender, delete it immediately or report it to your mail service provider.
• Even if it is someone you know, be careful about attachments.  Is there a reason for them to be sending you this file?  If it looks suspicious, don’t open it. Or call them to confirm they sent it to you.
• Make sure your email software blocks spam.  If you are getting lots of spam, see if you can adjust the filter to block more suspicious mail.  If you do this, you may need to check your junk folder to be sure that it’s not blocking messages that you want in your inbox.  You can usually mark senders as safe or blocked. So even if a message looks suspicious to the filter, it will still arrive in your inbox if you have marked that sender as safe.
• If you suspect that the attachment is an executable program, do not open it. If you do, it may launch a virus or other malware. If you right click on the name of the attachment and look at the properties, you can see what type of file it is. Some letters that indicate an executable file include: vbs. exe, ini, pif and bat.  There may be a legitimate reason for someone to send you an executable file, just make sure you know what it is before you open it.

Make sure you’re using an Internet security software that checks your email for suspicious links. Some free tools will help you identify illegitimate senders and prevent you from opening phishing messages. You should also have the most up-to-date virus protection.

Trend Micro™ Maximum Security finds and blocks malicious links in emails and IMs. It also blocks email and image spam.  It offers the real-time updates, places light demands on your system, and is easy to use and understand.  Using Maximum Security is one of the best ways you can prevent viruses and other malware from getting onto your computer.