We are living in a time when social media and email accounts are continually violated by people who shamelessly use false identities and bad intentions to steal personal information, money, good reputations, friends and hearts. They exploit the fact that people are often willing to ignore the warning signs that a friend, acquaintance or business may not be who they claim to be. <br> <br>Author Jo Anne Meekins, a former policies and procedures writer, uses screenshots and real life experiences to illustrate a step-by-step protection process to follow when you receive a friend request. She also shows you how to recognize and report fake profiles and fraudulent emails. <br> <br>"How to Protect Yourself from 'Pretend' Friend Requests & Email Scams" implores you to be proactive in protecting yourself and friends from these threats by paying attention to the red flags and doing your due diligence. As the saying goes, “Better safe than sorry!”