Porn mail

I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, but e-cards are not always to be trusted. If "a friend" sends you a virtual card, and it makes it past your spam filter, that "friend" should be smart enough to identify themselves. And you, despite being excited at the prospect of an animated monkey blowing out birthday candles, should be smart enough to treat the e-card with suspicion. The most recent concern: American Greetings and other card companies are working with federal authorities to ferret out who/what is sending e-greetings that redirect unsuspecting readers ... TO PORN SITES.

"The best way to make sure you're opening a legitimate card is to:

Type the card company's URL into your browser. Do not click on the link. Do not cut and paste the linked address into your browser.

Type the card code from the e-mail into the search engine on the legitimate Web page. If the e-mail was legitimate, your card should appear."

Of course, this may be a good excuse for people who get nabbed while surfing for skin at work: Hallmark made me do it.