AOL has introduced new features to its existing e-mail services,
in order to protect its users from e-mail scams. Speaking on behalf
of AOL, Tricia Primrose stated that “the most important thing
driving Official Mail is to help our members distinguish mail sent
from AOL from [mail sent] by those looking to scam our
members”.
The measures taken include identifying an AOL message with a
blue icon in the mail inbox, a blue border around it and an
official AOL seal in the bottom left-hand corner.
It is hoped that these features will prevent incidents such as
that reported last week where hackers managed to send e-mail that
appeared to be legitimately from AOL with the result that they
gained access to secure personal data on some AOL members.
Even so, AOL maintain that it has been developing this idea for
a while and that it is not simply a response to these or similar
events. Although its action indicates its concern over fraudulent
e-mail activity, some critics have warned that its response may not
be as effective as hoped.
Frank Price, an analyst at Forrester Research noted that “it
isn’t a necessary assurance of security in and of itself... once
[users] are geared to an idea that this colour scheme means it is
safe, if someone can replicate it, they have made it worse. That is
the risk of these sorts of iconic solutions”.
