Stationery Is Back!
With the latest release of Yahoo! Mail Beta, one new feature that is now included is the ability to add stationery (background colors and image templates) to your messages. Stationery is a feature that existed in the previous version of Yahoo! Mail. Since the release of Yahoo! Mail Beta, we have gotten feedback from customers asking us to bring this feature back. We listened and are happy to report that with the help of a 3rd party developer and our Yahoo! Mail Development Platform, we were able to do just that.
To use Stationery, go to the Applications area of Yahoo! Mail and click on the application named “Stationery.”
Once you click on Stationery you can then choose the background you wish to use in your message. Select from the drop-down menu and click on the background image of choice.
After clicking the background image, a new message window is launched. From there, simply type your message and send it along with your favorite background applied.
Have fun giving your messages more flair with Yahoo! Mail Beta.
5 Tips to Outsmart Phishers
“Phishers” keep us up at night. These people deliberately try to con you and then steal your private information. This is a huge industry-wide problem, and Yahoo! dedicates significant resources to identify and block phishing emails before they reach your inbox.
Unfortunately, we can’t stop phishers without your help. The most effective way to prevent phishers from stealing your information is to remember a handful of common sense tips that can help stop intruders in their tracks and keep you safe online:
1. Don’t recycle your password
Got a favorite password you like to use? Well, don’t use it often because attackers that successfully obtain a password you use at one Website will likely try to use it to access your other accounts, such as your bank or favorite online retailer. Here’s a better idea: Use a different password for each Website you use to access sensitive information (i.e: email, bank, social networking, and major retail Website passwords). Mix-up your passwords even if your username is the same.
2. Never send your sensitive information over email
No reputable businesses will ask you to send them your password or account information in an email. If you receive such a message, immediately click the “Spam” button on that message and we’ll get rid of it. Likewise, beware of messages from major companies asking you to “click this link” to verify your password. Instead of clicking on the link, visit that company’s homepage or call the company’s customer service line to verify the authenticity of that email. Phishers like to use these types of emails to direct people to legitimate-looking Websites that are really meant to steal IDs and passwords.
3. Check the “From” line
If you get an email message that seems too good to be true, it probably is. Always look at the email address itself and not only at the name of the sender. If the “From” line seems too generic or the domain does not clearly identify who the sender is, such as “yourbank@freemmail.com”, or “servicealerts@mail-boxes.us”, then it’s likely a hoax. Be safe, not sorry.
4. Know thy friend
The other day a friend of mine sent me an email with a generic, “Hey, check this out!” in the subject line and a link from an unknown Website. Turned out his account had been compromised. Be suspicious if a friend sends you a link that seems phishy – and make sure to alert them so they can warn other recipients of the message and alert their email service provider. If they ask you to send money, give them a call first (even if the email says it’s pointless). Scammers steal accounts and send messages with sad stories to convince you to wire them money. We all want to help our friends, but not by sending money to strangers.
5. Keep your system virus-free
There are viruses out there that steal your passwords by recording your keystrokes. Using and regularly updating virus scanning software is a good way to protect yourself from these and other types of malicious code. There are a number of anti-virus companies that offer free versions or trial offers, including: http://security.symantec.com , http://usa.kaspersky.com/downloads/free-virus-scanner.php, http://us.mcafee.com/root/downloads.asp?id=freeTrials, and http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html.
You’ll continue to see more tips from Yahoo! about how to protect yourself online. We’re committed to arming you with tools that will help keep you safe, including the improved spam protection we’ve built into the new Yahoo! Mail Beta. Take a test drive or learn more about it here .
Change is in the air!
As some of you may have noticed, we’ve begun emailing service announcements about an upgrade to Yahoo! Mail. Yahoo! Mail Beta has been in the wild for 5 months and we’re almost ready to take off the Beta label.
Here are some questions you might have about the service announcement email:
How can I tell if it’s a legitimate email from Yahoo! versus spam?
Please look for the Yahoo! icon to the left of the “From” field in your inbox. We mark messages with this icon so that you know that they are real messages from us.
What do I have to do to upgrade?
Either click on the “Upgrade Now” button in your service announcement or just go directly to http://features.mail.yahoo.com to upgrade. Upgrading takes only a few seconds and you’ll be in the newest version of Yahoo! Mail right away.
Do I have to wait for my turn to upgrade?
Absolutely not! You can upgrade right now by going to http://features.mail.yahoo.com
How long do I have until I need to upgrade?
We will be rolling out this newest version of Yahoo! Mail over the coming months and we’ll remind you along the way to upgrade.
Why should I upgrade?
- Here are some benefits of the newest version of Yahoo! Mail:
- Faster email
- Latest Yahoo! Mail spam-protection technology
- Easier-to-use design
- Unlimited email storage so that you can keep everything you want
To read more about the benefits of the newest version of Yahoo! Mail, please visit: http://features.mail.yahoo.com
For those of you who have been using Yahoo! Mail Beta, thank you for your fantastic feedback. We’ve been listening and will continue to release new features and fixes as we roll out this newest version of Yahoo! Mail everywhere!
