Pender County Library in Hampstead Hosts Email Safety Session

Connie Rivenbark, Pender County's I.T. Department Administrative Officer, said there are ways to protect yourself and your privacy. She urges people to be aware of the signs to look out for.

HAMPSTEAD, NC (WWAY) — Folks gathered at the Pender County Library in Hampstead on Thursday to learn the warning signs of suspicious activity online and in their personal email accounts.

It was a valuable lesson for some, as a few attendees say they have fallen victim to these online scams before. They say they can only hope to learn from their mistakes.

Cathe Ford, an email safety session attendee said, “My Facebook account has been hacked in the past. I think I’ve avoided anything else — knock on wood. But, there’s always the risk.”

Nancy Naam, another email safety session attendee said, “We don’t know why it comes on our computers and on our phones. So we have to know what to dodge and not be tempted.

Many of these signs go unnoticed, as they can be hidden well and often times coming from what seems to be a reliable source.

Connie Rivenbark, Pender County’s I.T. Department Administrative Officer, said there are ways to protect yourself and your privacy. She urges people to be aware of the signs to look out for.

Rivenbark said, “Misspelling on emails, is a big one — if you didn’t order it, then it’s not yours. The third one is to make sure you check who it’s from. If you don’t know this person — then it’s not legit.”

Some attendees from Thursday’s event say the opportunity to learn how to safely access their email’s made them feel more confident about their activity online.