Tis the season to get ripped off.

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the web.
Not a creature was stirring, just a hacker named Jeb.
All the emails were queued up and ready to go.
In the hopes that you will click one so they can take as much money from you as possible and then say Bye, bye. 

I know that last line didn't rhyme. I'm sorry about that. The closer we get to Christmas and the New Year, the more scams you are going to see in your e-mail box. It really does not matter what e-mail service you're using. Spam is coming at an alarming rate for all of us.  

According to mirror.co.uk,  

“With Christmas and New Year just around the corner, it seems that hackers are ramping up their efforts at tricking online users into clicking on scams and fake emails. 

That's according to the security team at McAfee Labs who say they expect 10 million online threats to be released during the festive period.” 

The worst part of this thing is that millions of us are being fooled by these same tactic's day after day.  

According to mirror.co.uk, here are the main things you need to look out for. 

“The biggest things to watch out for in your inbox are messages that claim a delivery has been missed or you have won a prize. These are some of the most popular strategies for cyber crooks and anyone receiving an email with these types of subject lines should be wary.” 

I just got an e-mail the other day telling me I needed to synchronize my Microsoft Office Software. The problem was. The e-mail didn't come from Microsoft. (yes, it was bogus) 

the report goes on to say, 

“Other messages that could be dangerous include emails that say they have come from your bank along with stating that the email has information about a purchase you didn’t make.” 

here are some suggestions from, mirror.co.uk, 

“Think before you click. Cybercriminals use phishing emails or fake sites to lure people into clicking links that could lead to malware. If you receive an email asking you to click on a link, even if it’s a great-sounding deal or indicates it’ll provide useful information, it’s best to avoid interacting with the message altogether. 

Remember that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Many scams are effective because the scammer creates a false sense of urgency or preys on a heightened emotional state. Pause before you rush to interact with any message that is threatening or urgent, especially if it is from an unknown or unlikely sender.” 

Please watch out for that nasty spam on your computer, and please don't send any money to that Ethiopian prince that your help.