SpamGuard, included free with Yahoo Mail, employs machine learning to constantly learn and improve filters that block spam and other malicious emails you do not want to see. You can help train the filters by clicking on the “Spam” button every time you encounter junk email or on “Not Spam” for messages you want to go to your inbox.
Avoid distractions (and who knows what else). In Yahoo Mail options, you can choose to block all images, no images, or only images in messages from contacts. If you want to see the blocked images in an email, open the message and click the “Show Images” button.
Spam can be a real headache. But with Yahoo Mail’s spam protection (and a little common sense), you can keep your mailbox relatively free of annoying junk mail. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
Treat your email address like your phone number—something you give out selectively. Don’t post it in public places like message boards or chat rooms. When you need to supply an email address, use Yahoo Mail disposable addresses.
By opening an email you think is spam, you could be inadvertently alerting the sender that your email address is active. Spammers often hide things in messages to verify someone has opened it, and then sell the address to others. Oh and also, please don’t forward spam chain letters to others.
By clicking a link within the body of a spammer’s message, you verify that your address is active. You also risk exposing yourself to phishing scams used by untrustworthy individuals.
Yahoo Mail automatically scans all incoming and outgoing email attachments for known viruses. We use industry-leading Norton AntiVirus software, so you don’t have to do a thing. If a virus is detected, it will be cleaned if possible, and you’ll be given further instructions.
With Yahoo Mail you’re doubly safe. We not only automatically scan your incoming and outgoing email attachments (using Norton AntiVirus software), we also clean infected attachments whenever possible.
If we find a known virus, we’ll remove it from the attachment and give you clear instructions on what to do next.
You can minimize your exposure to viruses by following these simple guidelines:
Never send, click, open, save, or run email attachments that you weren’t expecting. (Be particularly cautious of executable files, which end with the extensions .exe, .com, .vbs, .lnk, .pif, .scr, .bat.)
Back up important files on your computer, just in case originals become corrupted.
If you receive an email attachment from someone you don’t trust, delete the message immediately without opening the attachment. If you know and trust the sender, email the person to verify that they meant to send the attachment.
Make sure any attachments you send are virus-free. Fortunately, Yahoo Mail automatically scans your outgoing attachments for viruses. Including a description of any attachment you send in the body of your message will let the recipients know the email and the attachments are from you.
Phishing is the act of creating legitimate looking messages, masquerading as a trusted entity to lure you into clicking on emails that are designed to steal vital personal information like your password and financial data. To prevent such email forgery and spoofing we use DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) which allows senders to digitally sign their emails so that Yahoo Mail can then verify the authenticity of the sender. In addition, Yahoo Mail supports Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC), a specification spearheaded by major technology providers and email senders to collectively fight spam and phishing scams.
Sign-in seals are a safeguard from Yahoo Mail. They help you fight online phishing scams (people trying to trick you into giving up your password or personal information by spoofing legitimate web sites).
Here’s how your sign-in seal works: You provide us with an image (such as a personal photo) or a secret message. Whenever we ask you to sign into Yahoo Mail, we’ll display your image or message. If it’s not displayed, you may have landed on a “spoofed” site. It only takes a minute to create your sign-in seal.
Note: Your sign-in seal is saved on the computer that you create it on, not on Yahoo Mail’s servers. So if you use more than one computer or browser, you’ll want to create a sign-in seal for each one. Also, don’t create a sign-in seal on a computer you share with strangers, such as those in libraries, Internet cafés, and other public places
Avoiding phishing scams is tough. Phishers know every trick in the book, and they’re dreaming up new ones as we speak. So here are some things to keep in mind while you’re online:
Don’t believe every warning you read—especially pop-up warnings that appear while you’re surfing the Web. Unscrupulous companies use pop-up ads to display false warnings about your computer. Ignore them.
Do NOT click any button in these pop-ups, such as a “Close” or “No” button, or the “Close” box that may appear in the upper-right corner of the pop-up. Doing this might install a virus or other malicious software on your computer. To safely close a pop-up ad, press Ctrl-W (if you’re using a Windows computer) or Command-W (on a Mac computer).
Be suspicious of "free" advice.You may receive an email that claims to be from a computer expert, warning you of a virus. These are usually hoaxes. Do not follow the steps described in any email unless you’re sure the threat is real.
There is no Yahoo Lottery. Don’t be fooled by people pretending to be Yahoo and offering cash prizes. We would never send you information about a contest you never entered. If you’ve received a message like “Final Notification: Yahoo Mail Winner!” or “Your Email Address Has Won $XX million,” it’s a scam. Don’t reply to the email, don’t click any links in it, and never divulge any personal information. Instead, click the “Spam” button.
There are two ways to access Yahoo Mail on your mobile device. Which do you prefer?