How to send and receive posts safely

By now, all my friends and relatives know that if they receive an email, even from someone they know, they should not click on any links. (Danger, Will Robinson).

But I like sending links to important articles or videos.  How can I help my friends and relatives feel safe and yet open the email.

Easy, I send each of my friends and family an email that says:

“Please check this email by writing back and asking if I really sent it, or even better by calling me at 339-201-6010  From now on, when I send you email with a link, I will put the word fadoodle* at the bottom, so that you know it is really from me. Please do the same if you are sending me a link”

*Fadoodle is any made up word and not the one I use

This simple mechanism reassures the recipient that the email really came from you.  You can use any word, but you are best doing what you would do with a password: the longer the better.

There definitely are more secure ways to do this, but this is sufficiently secure for me, and it is painless.

Fadoodle