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Be aware of Phishing. If you use PayPal always type in the address,
never click on a url in an email. That way you can be sure you are
going to the proper site. Ditto if you bank on line, or do your taxes
on line. I had an email informing me of a tax refund, all I
needed to do was click on the url and enter some personal info on the
site that came up. It actually looked like the government site.
Needless to say I figured out that it was a scam. Be very careful
and do not fall for something that sounds too good.
Top Ten Tips to Protect Your Personal Information and
Identity
by Paul Horowitz
Top Ten Tips to Protect Your Personal Information and
Identity
Every time you go online, you enter a world of potential
danger for your computer. Without the proper protection and knowledge,
your computer may become susceptible to identity theft, spam, spyware,
phishing scams, and Trojan horses. By simply using software like
Instant Messaging, you can often communicate personal information to
would-be criminals. By not having online protection, you risk having
this personal information and possibly your identity stolen. As a
result, there are several different ways to protect your computer
against hackers. Follow these top ten tips to protect yourself and your
computer: 1. Use multi-faceted security software to protect your
computer: McAfee can protect your computer from viruses, spyware,
adware, hackers, unwanted emails, phishing scams, and identity theft.
Look for comprehensive, multi-faceted PC security software that
protects you.
2. Using firewalls every time you access the Internet
can protect your computer: A firewall helps keep your computer safe by
adding a security layer between your PC and the Internet. It also stops
hackers from stealing your identity, destroying files, or using your
computer to attack other computers.
3. Only use a PC that you know is secure: Unsecured
computers are easy prey for hackers. If you need to send important
personal information online, make sure the PC is secured. Some
computers only have the bare minimum while others, like those with
McAfee Total Protection?.
4. Phishing: Be aware of the threats to your computer.
Phishing scams pretend to be a trusted online source - such as a bank
or other financial institution - and ask that you send in your
password. As a result, many people, thinking that the website is
completely legitimate, give up there personal information quite easily.
Always, verify web addresses before submitting your personal
information. 5. Make sure your wireless network is secure. Online
hackers can easily access your personal information from miles away to
steal your information and use your wireless network for their own
communication. Always use extra security when dealing with wireless
Internet.
6. Never install unwanted programs onto your computer,
it may contain spyware or adware on your PC. Although many of these
programs appear harmless, many of the free online sites are designed to
install malware and track your personal information. Always be careful
when installing any program from any site.
7. Chain Mail is dangerous and full of viruses, never
open them: Only download or read e-mails from those sources you
identify as trustworthy. Unless you are completely sure about the
content of the e-mail, never download anything.
8. Monitor credit, and report and irregularities: Always
check your credit history. You may not know it, but you could have
become a victim of identity theft and not even known it. Visit the
Gateway support site for the latest tips to keeping your computer
safety or the Federal Trade Commission's site to keep abreast of the
latest trends in identify theft.
9. Keep track of your children's online activities:
Limit your child's online time and install parental controls to ensure
that your child does not enter any websites that may be susceptible to
hacking or online theft. This software also protects against online
predators.
10. Always back-up critical data to you're a CD or
Thumbdrive: Keep important files on CD to prevent the loss of critical
files. Use software backup tools if available, and store the backup
disks in case of an emergency.
About the Author
Dedicated to providing computer security and software,
McAfee is pleased to provide security software solutions to protect
your computer from online threats
Remember run a scan as often as needed for your level of
internet use. |