I posted this to point out that we all need to be diligent in checking thing before blindly clicking. The bad guys are getting more and more sophisticated in creating fake sites that will draw you in.
great question. The "s" in https is just to designate secure. And really all that means is that the connection from your browser to their server is encrypted.
By encrypted, it means that instead of sending a postcard to grandma that everyone can read while it is in transit, you instead wrote a letter and placed it in the envelope.
Someone can always steal the envelope.
Safest way is to not trust links. Instead if it is a link to "acme.com" for a great deal and you never heard of them. First don't click the link. Google the name. See if it brings back any warnings. If it still looks ok. Type in ACME Laboratories yourself and don't click the link.
"This message brought to you by someone who doesn't trust the internet"
aka Internet security geek.
Exactly. I'm always drilling my family members about clicking on links in emails. Even if it's from a place you recognize (or think it is), don't click a link in an email. When their bank sends them something displaying a charge, facebook updates, etc. I make them open a browser and use a bookmark or type an address directly. There's no reason to ever open a link from an email. They just don't get that fact the text you see displayed on a link has nothing to do with where the link goes.
