eMail Security

E-mail is a convenient way to communicate. But, DO NOT send personal information, bank account, social security, or Credit Card Numbers as e-mail is not a secure method of communication. Most e-mail travels unencrypted over the Internet.

Some e-mail services boast Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption. Gmail is one example. This creates an encrypted connection between your computer and the mail server. Hackers can't snoop on your data as it's sent or received to the server.

However, only the connection is encrypted. The e-mail itself is still readable. During its journey, e-mail passes through a number of servers. Copies of your messages can linger on these servers. Anyone could stumble across them.

If you must transmit personal information use a fax machine to deliver your information.