Using E-Mail helps us develop many skills.   True or false?   Hmm....   Well, I've learned:

o   Scan reading, sifting, sorting, deleting
o   Speed typing   (including use of acronyms)
o   Correct use of smiley faces (and variations)
o   Potential virus recognition
o   Junk mail identification

For some, recognition of junk email is becoming a finely-tuned skill worthy of being included on one's CV or Resume.

Junk email.   Sometimes just the Subject alone gives the game away.   "You can still win" is one that arrived today.   Gee, let me click on that attachment!   Not.

Another red flag is the distribution list.   When every Kim, Kimberly, Kimberley, and Kimiko in Sun is being copied on the email, I just KNOW it's trash.   Delete.

Then there's the Phishing emails which hope we'll fall sucker to their tactics...   maybe giving them our full bank details immediately because of a bank system crash.   Nope!   Sorry.   But if you need some help analysing the crash dump, I can sell you a great book!  

At Sun, we're actually trained on how to reduce, recognise, and deal with junk mail.   And, with years of practice, I suspect (and hope) that all of us are keeping up with the ever evolving tactics of the senders.   But people still fall prey to the slimballs polluting our email intrays.

Some years ago, I worked with the London Metropolitan Police.   They've taken proactive steps to help educate Londoners about fraud.   Since then, I've kept an eye on their Fraud Alert website.   It's pretty good.   Check it out.