Know who you’re dealing with.
And know what you’re getting into. There are dishonest people in the bricks and mortar world as well as on the Internet. But online, you can’t judge an operator’s trustworthiness with a gut-affirming look in the eye. It’s remarkably simple for online scammers to impersonate a legitimate business, so you need to know with whom you’re dealing. Check out the seller before you buy. A legitimate business or individual seller should give you a physical address and a working telephone number at which they can be contacted in case you have problems.
PHISHING: Bait or Prey?
“We suspect an unauthorized transaction on your account. To ensure that your account is not compromised, please click the link below and confirm your identity.” “During our regular verification of accounts, we couldn’t verify your information. Please click here to update and verify your information.” Have you received email with a similar message? It’s a scam called “phishing” – and it involves Internet fraudsters who send spam or pop-up messages to lure personal information (credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security number, passwords, or other sensitive information) from unsuspecting victims. “Phishers” send spam or pop-up messages claiming to be from a business or organization that you might deal with – for example, an Internet Service Provider (ISP), bank, online payment service, or even a government agency. The message usually says you need to “update” or “validate” your account information. It might threaten some dire consequence if you don’t respond. The message directs you to a website that looks just like a legitimate organization’s, but isn’t. Don’t take the bait: NEVER reply to or click on links in email or pop-ups that ask for personal information. Legitimate companies don’t ask for information this way. If you are directed to a website to update your information, verify that the site is legitimate by calling the company directly, using contact information from your account statements. Or open a new browser window and type the URL into the address field, watching that the actual URL of the site you visit doesn’t change and is still the one you intended to visit. Forward spam that is phishing for information to spam@uce.gov and to the company, bank, or organization impersonated in the phishing email. Most organizations have information on their websites about where to report problems.
These additional tips may help you avoid getting hooked by a phishing scam:
• Area codes can mislead. Some scammers send an email that appears to be from a legitimate business and ask you to call a phone number to update your account or access a “refund.” Because they use Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, the area code you call does not reflect their real location. To reach an organization you do business with, call the number on your financial statements or on the back of your credit card. In any case, delete random emails that ask you to confirm or divulge your financial information.
• Review credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them to check for unauthorized charges. If your statement is late by more than a couple of days, call your credit card company or bank to confirm your billing address and account balances.
• Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails you receive, regardless of who sent them. These files can contain viruses or other software that can weaken your computer’s security.
FREE SOFTWARE AND FILE-SHARING:
Worth the hidden costs? Every day, millions of computer users share files online. Filesharing gives access to a wealth of information, including music, games, and software. How does it work? You download special software that connects your computer to an informal network of other computers running the same software. Millions of users could be connected to each other through this software at one time. Often the software is free and easily accessible. But file-sharing poses a risk. If you don’t check the proper settings, you could permit access not just to the files you intend to share, but also to other information on your hard drive, like your tax returns, email messages, medical records, photos, or other personal documents. In addition, you may unwittingly download pornography labeled as something else. Or you may download material that is protected by the copyright laws, which would mean you could be breaking the law. If you decide to use file-sharing software, set it up carefully. Read the End User Licensing Agreement to be sure you understand and are willing to tolerate the side effects of any free downloads