Spam in emails is always an ongoing issue with most people, and the key to recognizing legitimate emails and outright scams sometimes just takes some common sense.

What is spam? Well, some folks recognize spam most commonly as the kind that goes on a sandwich. But spam in emails is an entirely different issue. Regarding the internet, online spam is unsolicited email, usually from someone trying to scam you or sell you something, or take advantage of you in some way or another.

Internet or email spam often arrives carrying a virus or phishing software whose main function is to steal your passwords and/or other personal information. Your identity, credit card information, security (personal security 'and' financial security) is the ultimate target with spam.

How do you know what might be valuable information - 'good' emails, and 'bad' spam emails? Here are some simple rules to follow:

1) BEWARE OF UNFAMILIAR SENDERS: Keep common sense in mind when opening email from unfamiliar senders, if the email sounds too good to be true, or is from someone you do not know, then the # 1 rule, is just delete it.

If the email comes from your long lost relative King Sudan Ripofo in the tiny Island of No-whero.... and he is wanting to leave you his 2 million dollars. Its obviously a scam. DELETE IT!

2) ENTICING SUBJECT LINE IN THE EMAIL: If the subject line of the email is seductive regarding sex, money, drugs, celebrities or otherwise, then the email is a scam. There are literally millions of lottery scams that will claim that you are 'the' winner. And bottom line, if it sounds too good to be true, it likely is.

3) BEWARE LINKS: Typically spam emails will have a link to trick you to click on it, the link in spam emails could be virus and/or malware that can basically unleash havoc on your computer and steal your identity, crash your computer or whatever the spammer is aiming to accomplish. Do not click on links in an email that you even suspect is spam!

4) BAD GRAMMAR: If an email sounds too good to be true, and has consistent misspellings or bad grammar, it was likely sent from someone in another country whose primary language is not English. The spammers typically target people that are in other countries, because it is extremely hard to track down the spammers in other countries.

5) FOREIGN LINKS: If you receive an email you suspect is spam, a clear indicator sometimes are hyperlinks that refer to foreign sites. For instance, if you receive an email that notes its from Microsoft - but the link to microsoft in the email is microsoft.20487huz.cz .....obviously that is an attempt for you to click on the link, which again, if you click on that link it will likely steal your identity and/or install a virus on your computer.