Secret Of Valentines Day

While we understand your curiosity when you get an email from a “secret admirer,” it is important that you do not follow links or even open emails from sources that are unknown or appear suspicious. According to Panda Security, cyber criminals use e-greeting cards or emails with subject lines relating to Valentines Day to get the victim’s attention, and hide malware within these messages that capture sensitive information to be used for fraud and identity theft.

This year, identity thieves will likely be utilizing social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter to exploit the wide user base and easy infection rate of these kinds of sites. Because these websites are based on sharing, it is easy for the infection to spread quickly and widely among users, making them favorites amongst criminals.

In order to not be crushed when you find out that your secret admirer is actually a hacker, not to mention avoid potential identity theft, Panda Security has released the following guidelines to help you avoid phishing attempts this Valentine’s Day.

First, NEVER open emails of messages received on a social networking site from a source you do not know or trust. If you do happen to open one by mistake, exit as quickly as possible and be sure to not click on any of the links within the message. Every time you click a link or agree to download something, you make it easier for the malware to gather your information.