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Home > Articles > Protect Yourself Against Scams
ITLnet

Protect Yourself Against Scams

Scams of all types have been on the rise lately. There seems to be no end to the creativity of these scam artists. We've compiled a shorts list of tips that may help you avoid these scams. I'm sure there are many more tips available on the Internet if you'd like to do your own searching.
  1. Most legitimate companies (ITLnet included) will NEVER ask for your password via email. These phishing scams are sent out posing to be someone that you trust often times making you think that your account will be deactivated if you do not act. In most cases it’s fairly easy to see that the from and/or reply to address isn't even from the same domain that they are posing to be from. They are simply trying to get your name and password so they can use your email account to send out more scams to other people, or even worse gain access to other things that might be tied to your email account such as paypal.com or financial institutions.

  2. Avoid clicking on links in emails posing to be from your bank or financial institution.
    These are often links to an entirely different site with the sole purpose of gathering your banking information.

  3. Do not buy anything from an email you did not ask for.
    These emails are usually bogus. A good rule is to never buy anything from a email. One exception might be from a trusted newsletter like Amazon.com, but remember it’s fairly easy for scammers to pretend that they're Amazon.com. You can always open up your web browser, go straight to Amazon.com and do your own search for the product that was advertised.

  4. Do not give out your personal information.
    This should go without saying, but no legitimate site is going to ask for your social security number unless you are applying for credit. Be careful not to divulge any other personal information unless absolutely necessary and you are 100% sure that you’re actually on the site you think you are and that you 100% trust said site.

  5. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
    Even asking yourself questions is a good practice. “Shouldn’t they already have my password and personal information?” “Why in the world would they need my social security number?” When in doubt, call the organization and ASK.

  6. If it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably is.
    Examples are job offers, special product discounts, unheard of deals on investments, and unclaimed available money. Always remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Those jobs that say you can "Make $25+ / hour working from home!" or "Mystery Shopper Needed!" and promise tons of money for almost no work sound very unreasonable and very suspicious. Be especially wary if these deals involve Western Union, Moneygram, wire transfers, money orders, or dealings with any financial transaction. The scammers will ask you to deposit a check or money order and wire transfer the money back to them—and it's not until later that you find out it was a forgery.

  7. Use strong passwords.
    If your password is as simple as your spouse’s name or your home phone number, then it can be easily guessed by hackers. Once someone gains access to your email account, it can then be very easy to gain access to your other accounts. For example someone could simply go to your bank institution website, request a password reset to be sent to your email account and since the hacker has access to that account they are then able to reset your banking password and have access to it. There are many sites on the internet explaining methods and techniques for using strong passwords. Do a little searching and you’ll find plenty of information on this.

  8. Keep your computer and anti-virus program up to date.
    It’s very important to make sure to keep up to date with Microsoft’s Windows updates. This helps keep your computer safe from malware getting into your computer and then able to trick you into certain types of scams. Also make sure you have a anti-virus program installed and that it’s up to date. Having a anti-virus program that’s out of date is not much better than not having one installed at all. If you do not have one you might look into Microsoft’s new Security Essentials program. It’s free and seems to be doing a pretty good job.

There is a lot more information out on the net on how to protect yourself. One such site is listed below:
http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/theft/index.html