STOP • THINK • CLICK 7 PRACTICES FOR SAFER COMPUTING The Internet can give you access to information, entertainment, financial offers, and countless other services. At the same time, it can leave you vulnerable to online scammers or identity thieves. Learn experts’ top seven practices for safer computing, as well as some terms and remedies. The Federal Trade Commission is the nation’s consumer protection agency. The FTC works for the consumer Thanks to the Internet, you can buy just about anything online, watch movies and to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business t.v. shows, catch the latest news, discuss a topic that interests you, take classes, buy practices in the marketplace and to provide information a book or download music and games, communicate with friends and family, meet to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. new people...the list goes on. Consumers can contact the FTC for free information on The flip-side, however, is that the Internet – and the anonymity it affords – also can a wide range of issues, including: give online scammers, hackers, and identity thieves access to your computer, personal information, finances, and more. Advertising Claims • Buying, Leasing, and Renting Cars Credit • Debt Collection • Employment and Job Placement Identity Theft • Investment Schemes The FTC believes that consumer education truly is the first line of defense for Online Shopping • Scholarship Scams computer users against fraud and deception online. Sweepstakes • Telemarketing Work-At-Home Schemes... and More With awareness as your safety net, you can minimize the chance of an Internet mishap. An aware computer user is more likely to recognize a phishing e-mail, more To file a complaint or get free information on consumer likely to download a spyware detector, and far less likely to disclose, expose, or issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP unwittingly share personal information. (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. Watch a new video, How to File a Complaint, at ftc.gov/video to learn The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, more. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database prepared this supplement. The articles provide practical tips to help you be on guard and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and against Internet fraud, secure your computer, and protect your personal information. criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and Keep them in mind as you take advantage of all the Internet has to offer –­­ safely. abroad. The FTC manages OnGuardOnline.gov, a joint project of the federal government and the technology industry providing practical tips to help you guard against Internet fraud, secure your computers, and protect your personal information. PAGE 2 PAGE • If you get an email or pop-up message asking Protect your personal for personal information, don’t reply or click on the link in the message. To check if a company information. with whom you have an account or placed an It’s valuable. order may need such information, contact them directly in a way you know to be genuine, like a 1To an identity thief, your personal information phone number from directory assistance. In any can provide instant access to your financial case, don’t send personal information via email accounts, your credit record, and other assets. because email is not a secure transmission If you think no one would target your personal method. information, think again. The reality is that anyone can be a victim of identity theft. According • When shopping online, don’t provide personal to a Federal Trade Commission survey, there are or financial information through a company’s almost 10 million victims every year. It’s often website until you check that the site is secure. Practices7 difficult to know how thieves obtained their Look for indicators like a lock icon on the victims’ personal information. While it definitely browser’s status bar or a website URL that can happen offline, some cases start when online begins “https:” (the “s” stands for “secure”). for data is stolen. Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some Unfortunately, you can’t entirely control scammers have forged security icons. whether you will become a victim of identity Safer theft. But following these tips can help minimize • Read website privacy policies. These should your risk while you’re online: explain what personal information the website collects, how the information is used, and Computing • If asked for personal information – your name, whether it is provided to third parties. The email or home address, phone number, account privacy policy also should tell whether you have numbers, or Social Security number – find the right to see what information the website To be safer and more out how it’s going to be used and how it will has about you and what security measures the be protected before you share it. In general, company takes to protect your information. secure online, adopt these its a good idea to keep your last name, home If you don’t see a privacy policy – or if you address, and phone number to yourself. can’t understand it – consider doing business seven practices. elsewhere. PAGE 3 PAGE Test Your Knowledge: Check Out the Interactive Quizzes at OnGuardOnline.gov. • Review credit card and bank account statements as soon as Know who you receive them to check for you’re unauthorized charges. If your dealing with. statement is late by more than a couple of days, call your credit card company or bank to confirm And know what your billing address and account you’re2 getting into. There are dishonest balances. people in the bricks and mortar • Be cautious about opening any world as well as on the Internet. But attachment or downloading any online, you can’t judge an operator’s files from emails you receive, trustworthiness with a gut-affirming regardless of who sent them. These look in the eye. It’s remarkably simple files can contain viruses or other for online scammers to impersonate software that can weaken your a legitimate business, so you need computer’s security. to know with whom you’re dealing. respond. The message directs Check out the seller before you buy. A you to a website that looks just like legitimate business or individual seller a legitimate organization’s, but isn’t. should give you a physical address and Don’t take the bait: NEVER reply to or FREE SOFTWARE a working telephone number at which click on links in email or pop-ups that fraudsters who send spam or pop-up AND FILE-SHARING: they can be contacted in case you have ask for personal information. Legitimate messages to lure personal information problems. companies don’t ask for information Worth the hidden costs? (credit card numbers, bank account this way. If you are directed to a PHISHING: Bait or Prey? information, Social Security number, website to update your information, Every day, millions of computer users share files online. File- “We suspect an unauthorized passwords, or other sensitive verify that the site is legitimate by sharing gives access to a wealth of transaction on your account. To ensure information) from unsuspecting calling the company directly, using information, including music, games, that your account is not compromised, victims. contact information from your account please click the link below and confirm “Phishers” send spam or pop-up statements. Or open a new browser “Some ‘free’ your identity.” messages claiming to be from a window and type the URL into the “During our regular verification business or organization that you might address field, watching that the actual software comes of accounts, we couldn’t verify your deal with – for example, an Internet URL of the site you visit doesn’t change with spyware.” information. Please click here to update Service Provider (ISP), bank, online and is still the one you intended to visit. payment service, or even a government Forward spam that is phishing for and verify your information.” and software. How does it work? agency. The message usually says you information to [email protected] and to Have you received email with a You download special software need to “update” or “validate” your the company, bank, or organization similar message? It’s a scam called that connects your computer to an account information. It might threaten “phishing” – and it involves Internet impersonated in the phishing email. informal network of other computers some dire consequence if you don’t Most organizations have information running the same software. Millions on their websites about where to report of users could be connected to each problems. other through this software at one These additional tips may help you time. Often the software is free and avoid getting hooked by a phishing easily accessible. scam: But file-sharing poses a risk. If you • Area codes can mislead. Some don’t check the proper settings, you scammers send an email that could permit access not just to the appears to be from a legitimate files you intend to share, but also to business and ask you to call a other information on your hard drive, phone number to update your like your tax returns, email messages, account or access a “refund.” medical records, photos, or other Because they use Voice Over personal documents. In addition, Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, you may unwittingly download the area code you call does not pornography labeled as something reflect their real location. To reach else. Or you may download material an organization you do business that is protected by the copyright with, call the number on your laws, which would mean you could be financial statements or on the back breaking the law.