Scammers are sending e-cards to corrupt your computer

BALTIMORE - Forget birthday or Christmas cards sent through snail mail. In the digital age, you can use the internet to send any greeting you want in an e-card. Scammers know you love to get them, so they're using those cards to get into your computer.

Whether you're sending birthday wishes or toasting someone's anniversary, you no longer need a stamp and envelope. Instead, those electronic greetings are the way to go. But not every e-card that makes its way into your email is spreading good news. Scammers often send phony e-cards hoping you'll click on the links inside to see your greeting. Those links often put your computer at risk for viruses and potentially allow someone to put malware on your machine.

Experts say scammers often spoof popular, legitimate companies with their messages as a way to deceive you, so don't click on the link just because it looks real. Instead, if you receive an e-card, go independently to the company's website and enter the id number. If there's really a greeting for you, the card will appear. If not, you've headed off a con artist before they caught you in their card game.