Official AOL Mail is email in a special security format to help you identify important communications from AOL. This is done to avoid email hoaxes, prevent virus attacks and to stop hackers gaining access to your PC.

To determine if an email is an Official AOL Mail, look for the following attributes:

Blue envelope: Look for a blue envelope in your mailbox. Usually, when you open your mailbox and look at new email, standard emails have a yellow envelope. Uniquely, Official AOL Mail has a blue envelope. If there is no blue envelope in the mailbox, you know - without even opening the email - that it's not an Official AOL Mail.

Dark blue border: Look for the dark blue border. When you open the email, you'll notice that the message section (the area of an email that contains the words or pictures) looks the same as ordinary email, but the area surrounding the message section is dark blue - not light blue or white, like all other email.

Official AOL Mail seal: Look for the Official AOL Mail seal outside the message. These words in white will be inside the dark blue border described above. If you click on the words Official AOL Mail, you will be taken to AOL Keyword: Official AOL Mail.

AOL marketing emails

AOL also sends out welcoming emails and messages about new and improved products and services. These emails are sent from accredited AOL screen names. These emails do NOT come in the special blue Official AOL Mail format. Remember, a genuine AOL communication will NEVER ask you for your password. And always be wary of email from an unknown sender.