C1 | Email

Learn all about the basics of email and spam.

• 1. Why do I need email?

  

  Email is still the number one means of communication on the internet, especially in the business world and for official communications. Emails have the same structure as a letter, can be sent to multiple recipients at once, and can include attachments.

  The following two functions are essential tools for email communication in a corporate setting:

  CC

  CC stands for “carbon copy.” This function allows you to put the email addresses of people who should also receive and read the email in the CC field, but indicates that these email addresses are not the main recipients of the email. It is important to know that with the CC option, everyone who receives the email can see who the main and CC recipients are. The CC function provides a useful communication tool for work emails.

  BCC

  The abbreviation BCC stands for “blind carbon copy.” If you’re sending an email and have entered one or more email addresses in the BCC field, all other email recipients will not be able to see these addresses. The recipients in the BCC field will also not be able to see the other addresses in the BCC field. The use of the BCC address field is particularly useful if you want to protect the privacy of individual email recipients, or if you don’t want every recipient to be able to see who the email was sent to.

  Got it!

• 2. Where can I get an email address?

  Obtaining an email address is quite easy. You simply register with one of the many email providers, such as outlook.com, gmail.de, web.de, or gmx.de. There are countless other email providers available, and you can do a quick web search to find which provider suits you best. Because the majority of email providers are financed by advertising, most email addresses are available free of charge.

  But be careful, not every email provider protects your data equally well. Sending emails involves transmitting your personal data, and providers should handle it with the appropriate sensitively. You should pay attention to the following points when deciding on an email provider:

  Encryption

  End-to-end encryption should be a standard feature of your email provider so that your personal data cannot be intercepted or misused.

  Server location

  The location of the server where your email is stored plays a role in how your data will be processed. The local laws at the server location will govern which data protection measures apply, and European security regulations are more strict than those in the USA. You should therefore pay close attention to a provider’s server location when choosing an email provider.

  Use of data economy

  But where can you find information about a provider’s server location and which level of encryption they employ? The best place to look is the email provider’s terms and conditions, which can usually be found through the “Data protection” (or similar) link at the bottom of the company’s homepage. Alternatively, you can search for terms like “email provider comparison” in a search engine. Make sure that the information comes from a reliable source such as Consumer Reports.

  But where can you find information about a provider’s server location and which level of encryption they employ? The best place to look is the email provider’s terms and conditions, which can usually be found through the “Data protection” (or similar) link at the bottom of the company’s homepage. Alternatively, you can search for terms like “email provider comparison” in a search engine. Make sure that the information comes from a reliable source such as Consumer Reports.

  It can also make sense to pay for an email service, even if many are provided for free. Providers such as Posteo or Mailbox.org have their servers in Germany, and do not track or collect your data for advertising purposes. You can pay for and use these email addresses anonymously.

  Got it!

• 3. How can I send and receive emails securely?

  Here are a few basic ways to increase email security.

  Choose a strong password

  As with all online services, you should create a strong password for your email to enhance data security. Your password should be sufficiently complex. If necessary, you can also take a look at the Log-ins & Passwords section of Unit D for more guidance.

  Keep your spam filter enabled

  Nowadays, every email provider has a built-in spam filter that is automatically activated. You should keep this filter activated to ensure that unwanted mails end up in your spam folder, which can also be called a “junk” folder. Legitimate emails end up in your spam folder from time to time, often because they have an attachment that looks suspicious to the spam filter. To restore these emails to your normal inbox, simply right click on them and choose the “Not Spam” option.

  Use an antivirus program

  You should always have an antivirus program installed on your computer. While the best antivirus programs cost money, you can also find good free alternatives.

  Pay attention to the sender and subject line of an email

  Are you unfamiliar with the sender of an email, or does it have a strange subject? If you are not sure the email comes from a legitimate address, run a quick web search for the sender of the email before you open it. You should also show the same skepticism with the subject line. Does it say “IMPORTANT” or “URGENT”? These could be indicators of a spam email.

  Got it!

• 4. What are spam emails, and what types of spam are there?

  Got it!

• 5. How can I protect myself from spam emails?

  Be suspicious of payment requests.

  When it comes to payment requests sent by email, consider whether they make sense. Have you just ordered office supplies or taken out a subscription? With most providers, you pay directly on the website. If a payment request per email seems strange to you, it is best to ignore it and delete it.

  Don’t open file attachments if you don’t know the sender.

  As long as the source is not completely trustworthy to you, you should not open any file attachments. Images and other files can install malware on your system, or steal your password.

  Use data economy.

  To prevent spam, only provide your name and email address when it is absolutely necessary. You can also use most of the services with a pseudonym. Make sure you never respond to spam emails, as this confirms that your email address is valid and still active.

  Got it!