For the last few weeks, I’ve been inundated with a barrage of emails with attached “invoices.” About 90% are caught by the spam filter, but that other 10% ends up in my inbox. I have no problem with simply pressing “delete” to rid myself of them, but there’s a new twist in this onslaught—the personalization of the emails and subject lines. It’s mighty frustrating to be told that I am the person sending these emails to myself!
Don’t Be Fooled By Substitutes
Every day when I receive the next few emails with my name as the person griping about wanting payment, it makes me wish that I could tell every single one of my contacts—it’s not me! This, in fact, is partially what I am doing here. These spam emails also use the domains of several component manufacturers, which makes me think they’re receiving these bogus invoices too. Fortunately, I believe that the folks in our industry are smart enough to see through the sham. Please don’t be fooled and, more importantly, don’t hold it against the person whose name they’re using this time—it’s all still just spam, intended disrupt our lives and con us out of something.
Evaluate Your Protective Measures
This situation serves as a reminder that “progress” brings benefits for everyone, including those who would do us harm. Cyber criminals continue to keep pace with and sometimes surpass the safety measures we put in place to stop them. Bogus emails are less obvious; malicious sites more sophisticated. Every so often, we should each take a moment to review our computers and networks. Are you protected from cyber threats? Are you sure?
The Triumph of Innovation
Fortunately, innovation and progress continue to bring us many more benefits than pitfalls. This month’s article by Joe Kannapell, “Celebrating 50 Years of Truss Design,” really puts my complaints about 21st century spam into an interesting historical context. This nuisance can be managed, and we can continue to capitalize on all of the fantastic tools at our disposal. The evolution of computers and their integration into our daily lives has revolutionized our world in amazing ways. From the convenience of simple tasks such as email to the transformative potential of computerization in design and production, the development of our electronic lives is definitely heading in the right direction.