Communication
Email and Messages
About 12 minutes, at your own pace
You are in a safe place. Nothing on this page can harm your device.
How to send emails and texts safely, spot scam messages, and share photos with the people you love.
Rose's story
Rose, 71, loves getting emails from her grandchildren: photos of the kids, funny stories about school, weekend plans. But she also receives about 30 unwanted emails a day, and for a long time she was afraid to open any of them in case one carried a virus.
Once Rose learned what to look for, everything changed. Now she sorts through her inbox every morning, keeps the messages she wants, and deletes the rest, without a moment of worry. Most of those scary emails, she says, are just like junk mail in your real mailbox: annoying, but harmless as long as you throw them away.
Email can feel like a place where one wrong tap ruins everything. It is not. Reading an email cannot harm your device, and deleting the wrong one is almost always undoable. The only real skill is learning to pause before you tap a link, and by the end of this page that pause will feel natural.
Your digital mailbox
Your device comes with an email app: Mail on an iPad or iPhone, Gmail on most Android devices. Whichever you use, it works like a set of mailboxes at the post office:
- Inbox: where new mail arrives.
- Sent: copies of emails you have sent, so you can look back at them.
- Drafts: emails you started writing but have not sent yet.
- Junk or Spam: mail your device thinks is junk. Check it now and then, as a real message can land here by mistake.
- Trash or Bin: emails you have deleted. They wait here for a while before being removed for good, so you can recover one if you delete it by accident.
You do not need to read every single email. Focus on messages from people you know. You can always delete the rest, just like tossing junk mail from your letterbox into the recycling.
Sending an email
Writing and sending an email
Open your email app (Mail on Apple, Gmail on Android).
Look for a pencil or compose button, usually in a corner. Tap it to start a new email.
In the To field, type the email address of the person you are writing to.
Tap the Subject field and type a short description, for example "Sunday dinner plans".
Tap the large blank area and type your message.
When you are done, tap the send button (an upward arrow or a paper plane).
You can write and send an email. That is a powerful skill for staying connected with the people you love. Before sending, take one moment to check the address in the To field, so your message reaches the right person.
Spotting scam emails
A scam email is designed to look real and to make you act quickly. Here is a simple check to run on any message from someone you do not recognise.
The email safety check
Check the sender. Tap the sender's name to see the full address. Does it look right? ("rbc.com" is real; "rbc-alerts-canada.com" is fake.)
Look for urgency. "Act now!" or "Your account will be closed!" Real companies give you time.
Check the greeting. "Dear Customer" is a red flag. Your bank knows your name.
Do not tap the links. If you must check, press and hold a link to preview where it really goes.
When in doubt, delete it. If a real company needs you, they will contact you another way.
Never tap a link in an email that asks you to "verify your account" or "confirm your identity". Legitimate companies do not ask you to do this by email. If you are unsure, open your browser and go to the company's website directly.
The 3-second rule for emails
- Stop Do not tap any links in an unexpected email.
- Breathe No real company will close your account because you took a few minutes to think.
- Verify Go to the company's website yourself, or call the number on your bank card.
Opening a PDF? Watch for fake "install this" prompts
A PDF is just a document, like a letter or a form, saved so it looks the same on every device. Most web browsers today open a PDF right in a new tab, with nothing to download or install. If a website suddenly tells you that you need to install a special "viewer" or "player" before you can see a document, that is a warning sign, not a normal step.
Adobe Acrobat Reader is a real, well-known program for opening PDFs, and it is safe to install if you get it directly from adobe.com. But you almost never need it. Your browser (Safari, Chrome, or Edge) already opens PDFs on its own, with no extra software required.
If a pop-up says you must install something before you can view a document, do not click it. Close the tab instead. If you were trying to reach a real organisation, like your bank or the government, open your browser and go to their website directly.
Blocking unwanted callers and texters
Getting calls from unknown numbers or annoying text messages? You can block them, and you can always unblock them later if you change your mind.
Blocking a phone number
Open the Phone app and tap Recents to see your call history.
Find the number you want to block.
On an iPhone, tap the small "i" next to it; on Android, press and hold the number.
Choose Block this caller or Block number.
Confirm. That number can no longer call or text you.
Sharing photos with family
Sending a photo by text message
Open the Messages app and open a conversation with the person you want to send the photo to.
Look for the + button or the camera or photo icon near where you type.
Tap Photos and choose the picture you want to send.
Tap the send arrow. Your photo is on its way.
Read freely, because reading an email cannot harm you. Before you tap any link or install anything, pause and ask whether you expected this message. When in doubt, delete it and go to the company's website yourself.
Quick check: test your knowledge
Tap the answer you think is correct. There is no score kept and nothing to sign in to.
1. What is spam email?
2. An email asks you to click a link to "verify your account". The safest response is:
3. You get a text from an unknown number with a link. You should:
Your progress
Tick each item as you feel confident with it. This is saved on this device only, with no account needed.
Send this lesson to someone
Helping a parent or friend? This page works on its own, with no account and nothing to install. Copy the link and text it to them.
Well done. You can now send and receive messages, spot the signs of a scam, and share photos with family. Your inbox is working for you, not against you.