Todays revelation by BBC News website that over 30,000 (and they are still counting) email address passwords have been stolen and posted online is shocking.

What this does NOT mean is that webmail is insecure. Far from it. The passwords have been stolen because users have been conned into sending the criminals their passwords. (Sometimes called Phishing)

They will have received an email purporting to be from Google, Hotmail, Yahoo or AOL. The email asks for password details, usually with some kind of threat that service would be interrupted without a reply.

The problem of course is that we are all so trusting and just give up our most valuable details. I don't believe that 30,000 is the true number - I think that it is 10 times that. I have several friends that have fallen victim to this.

Here are some very simple tips to keep you safe online:

• Never send anyone personal details (Date of Birth, Passwords etc.) in response to an email they have sent you. Never. Ever. Never. Even if your bank insists - call them instead.
• Always try to have different passwords. If you can't have separate ones for every account you have, then at least have different passwords for banking, online shopping and your email.
• Install a good virus checker
• Change your webmail password online right now - just in case.

You wouldn't give a stranger at your door personal information - so don't do it online.