How to Protect Yourself Online

Nearly everyone uses the internet today for a variety of reasons including shopping, banking and staying in touch with family and friends via email and social media. The internet makes performing these routine activities faster and more convenient. But there are also risks involved. There are scam artists out on the web trying to trick you into sending them money or providing your personal information. That’s why it’s important to be safe and responsible online by learning how to protect yourself and how to report internet fraud so you and others don’t fall victim to these online predators.

Being aware of the many types of internet fraud methods used by cyber criminals is an important factor in protecting yourself. Here are some common examples of internet fraud: Data Breaches – when sensitive data, either personal or financial information is leaked from a secure location to an untrusted environment at a corporate or personal level. Malware – this involves dangerous software that is designed to disable computers and computer systems. Phishing or spoofing – when a scammer uses fake email, text messages, or copycat websites to try to steal your identity or personal information, such as credit card numbers, bank account numbers, debit card PIN, and account passwords. Internet auction fraud - this involves the misrepresentation of a product advertised for sale on an internet auction site, or non-delivery of merchandise. Credit card fraud – when cyber criminals fraudulently obtain money or property through the unauthorized use of a credit or debit card number.

If you believe that you’ve been a victim of internet fraud or cybercrime, it is important that you report it to the proper authorities. The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), https://www.ic3.gov, refers internet related criminal complaints to federal, state, local, or international law enforcement. It is important to remember that if you are disputing an unauthorized charge on your credit card or if you suspect that your credit card number has been compromised you will need to contact your credit card provider directly. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), https://www.ftc.gov, is a resource that shares consumer complaints over a wide range of categories, including online scams, with local, state, federal, and foreign law enforcement partners. It cannot resolve individual complaints but can give you information on the next steps to take. Econsumer.gov, https://econsumer.gov, is a partnership of more than 35 consumer protection agencies around the world. The organization accepts complaints about online and related transactions with foreign companies and helps authorities spot trends and combat fraud. The Department of Justice (DOJ), https://www.justice.gov, helps consumers report computer, internet-related or intellectual property crime to the proper agency based upon the scope of the crime.

The best way to protect yourself from internet fraud or cybercrime is to reduce your vulnerability. Securing your computer and other devices and being aware of the methods criminals use to defraud individuals will go a long way in reducing the risk that you will fall victim to them.

There are several ways to keep your computer and personal information safe when going online. Here are some key actions that you can take to protect your computer:

1. Keep your firewall turned on. It helps protect your computer from cyber criminals who might try to gain access for any number of reasons such as to steal passwords or other sensitive information, delete information or even crash your computer. This software is usually prepacked on your computer’s operating system, if not it can be purchased for individual computers.

2. Install and update your antivirus software. Antivirus software is a utility that detects, prevents, and removes viruses, worms, and other malware from your computer. Viruses can affect your computer without your knowledge so most antivirus software can be set up to update automatically or remind you when an update is required.

3. Install and update your antispyware technology. This technology prevents software (aka spyware) that allows others to look into your online activities from being loaded on to your computer. Some operating systems offer free spyware protection, and affordable software is readily available for download. But beware of online ads offering downloadable antispyware -in some cases these products may not be legitimate and actually contain spyware or other malicious code.

4. Keep your operating system up to date. Periodically computer systems are updated to stay current with technology requirements and to fix any gaps in security. Be sure to install any updates when you receive them to ensure that your computer has the most up to date protection.

5. Be careful what you download. Even the most vigilant antivirus software may not be able to protect you if you download or open an email attachment from someone you do not know. You should also be wary of email attachments forwarded from someone you do know as they may have unknowingly advanced malicious code.

6. Look but don’t click. Cyber criminals love to embed malicious links in legitimate-sounding copy. When you hover your mouse over any links you find embedded in the body of the email, if the link address looks strange, don’t click on it.

You could also copy and paste (but again don’t click) the URL into a Text or Word document to check where the URL path leads. Again, if you’ve got a mismatch, you’re right to be wary.

7. And always turn off your computer. With the advancement of high speed internet, many people leave their computers on 24/7 so they won’t miss a thing. This renders your computer more susceptible to attacks. Turning off your computer severs connection to the internet and provides effective protection against cyber criminals