Think And Do

Computers

Net Scams

Net Scams

Many people have been plagued with virus notifications and warnings - some accurate, many bogus. In addition, we receive tantallizing offers for email chain letters, promising to receive money for each email address that we send to. With good intention, we forward this information to everyone in our address books, who then forward that information, on and on and on. This often results in problems for you as the user, and if you do this at work, many problems for your system administrator.

It is best to authenticate the information that you receive before passing it on.

In the case of email claims for big money paid by a particular company, visit the company's website and search for information on that offer. If it is genuine, the info will be posted there.

Note that virus hoaxes often contain in the body of the message information like "Send this to everyone in your address book." This is usually a dead giveaway of a hoax.

Virus warnings can be validated at any of the following four reliable sites:
 I urge you to add these URLs to your bookmarks / favorites. Check there for valid virus information. Whether you receive bogus or correct information, you can then choose to forward it, and state in your own message that you have checked before passing it on.

Since 9/11/2001, many people have become the unfortunate victims of 911 fraud - bogus charity websites and places to email money.
  1. All reputable organizations will post valid notifications on their own sites. These notifications will clearly explain donation procedures.
  2. No reputable organizations solicit donations via email. They simply do not mass-email donation requests.
  3. (Hopefully you are already doing this), DELETE all emails that use words like MIRACLE or RISK-FREE or MILLIONS. Nonsense stuff.
  4. The anthrax scare has fostered the birth of phoney sites offering phoney antibiotics. If you have any concerns, see your doctors and do the right thing. Or visit the CDC at http://www.cdc.gov.
  5. Charities recognized by the IRS can be found at http://www.give.org.
  6. Make use of the Better Business Bureau at http://www.bbb.org.
  7. Bookmark the antifraud site at the Government Consumer Information Center at http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/scamresources.htm.
Probably your best bet when donating is to give to your local fire department, police department, or hospital.
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Cyber Crimes

The danger of cybercrimes is becoming greater all the time. However, that does not mean that we should stop going online. It does mean that we should be informed. Here are a few sites to help you.
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