I had something similar a couple of years ago, that's when my IT man installed NOD32 for me and I have never had a problem since. BUT these days unless I am 100% certain who an email is from I never click on any links in them. I know it's a bind but if I want to follow through on something I prefer to go on the web and type in the web address. Even if emails say they arefrom one of my friends I check with the email content and I can tell from the way they are written whether they are genuine or not.
Unfortunately these days there are so many people who are trying to get you to part with information about bank details, paypal accounts etc. I have had emails asking me to 'confirm my secutiry details' from just about every bank known to man!! I must have 'won' enough on various Nigerian lotteries to pay the UK national debt and even emails from ebay and paypal I read but again never click on any links as these are quite often spoofs as well. Also emails that say they have a 'greetings card' attached are notorious for having viruses on them.
It's not just the net but you can get random phone calls as well. If I get a call telling me they are from my credit card company (and they want me to confirm security information) they may be genuine but my first question to them is 'how do I know you are from Barclaycard/MBNA/whoever?" that usually throws them a bit because they usually say '"but I am". If I want to know anything further I insist they give me a number to call back on and their name and department. I then ring off and call the main credit card support number to check they are genuine. I also shred everything that I get that has my name and address on it before throwing it away.
Yes, I'm probably paranoid but my money is too hard come by to let some scumbag help themselves to it.
Unfortunately these days there are so many people who are trying to get you to part with information about bank details, paypal accounts etc. I have had emails asking me to 'confirm my secutiry details' from just about every bank known to man!! I must have 'won' enough on various Nigerian lotteries to pay the UK national debt and even emails from ebay and paypal I read but again never click on any links as these are quite often spoofs as well. Also emails that say they have a 'greetings card' attached are notorious for having viruses on them.
It's not just the net but you can get random phone calls as well. If I get a call telling me they are from my credit card company (and they want me to confirm security information) they may be genuine but my first question to them is 'how do I know you are from Barclaycard/MBNA/whoever?" that usually throws them a bit because they usually say '"but I am". If I want to know anything further I insist they give me a number to call back on and their name and department. I then ring off and call the main credit card support number to check they are genuine. I also shred everything that I get that has my name and address on it before throwing it away.
Yes, I'm probably paranoid but my money is too hard come by to let some scumbag help themselves to it.