Internet: Spam & Phishing

Internet - Spam and Phishing
E-mail spam is not just unwanted, it can be offensive. Pornographic spam causes many consumer complaints. Decrease the number of spam e-mails you receive by making it difficult for spammers to get and use your e-mail address.
***Don't use an obvious e-mail address, such as JaneDoe@isp.com. Instead use numbers or other digits, such as Jane4oe6@isp.com.
***Use one e-mail address for close friends and family and another for everyone else. Free addresses are available from Yahoo! and Hotmail. You can also get a disposable forwarding address from http://www.spammotel.com/. If an address attracts too much spam, get rid of it and establish a new one.
***Don't post your e-mail address on a public web page. Spammers use software that harvests text addresses. Substitute "janedoe at isp.com" for "janedoe@isp.com." Or display your address as a graphic image, not text.
***Don't enter your address on a website before you check its privacy policy.
***Uncheck any check boxes. These often grant the site or its partners permission to contact you.
***Don't click on an e-mail's "unsubscribe" link unless you trust the sender. This action tells the sender you're there.
***Never forward chain letters, petitions or virus warnings. All could be a spammer's trick to collect addresses.
***Disable your e-mail "preview pane." This stops spam from reporting to its sender that you've received it.
***hoose an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that filters e-mail. If you get lots of spam, your ISP may not be filtering effectively.
***Use spam-blocking software. Web browser software often includes free filtering options. You can also purchase special software that will accomplish this task.
***Report spam. Alert your ISP that spam is slipping through its filters. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also wants to know about "unsolicited commercial e-mail." Forward spam to uce@ftc.gov. Some e-mail users have lost money to bogus offers that arrived as spam in their in-box. Con artists are very cunning; they know how to make their claims seem legitimate. Some spam messages ask for your business, others invite you to a website with a detailed pitch. Either way, these tips can help you avoid spam scams:
***Protect your personal information. Share credit card or other personal information only when you're buying from a company you know and trust.
***Know with whom you're dealing. Don't do business with any company that won't provide its name, street address, and telephone number.
***Take your time. Resist the urge to "act now" despite the offer and terms. Once you turn over your money, you might never get it back.
***Read the small print. Get all promises in writing and review them carefully before you make a payment or sign a contract.
***Never pay for a "free" gift. Disregard any offer that asks you to pay for a gift or prize. If it's free or a gift, you shouldn't have to pay for it. Free means free. The FTC has many online publications about Internet usage topics including online auctions, e-mail, spam, shopping and privacy protection. Visit http://www.ftc.gov/.
--Be Suspicious of Mass E-mails Many mass e-mails contain false alarms, misleading requests for donations or fictitious offers of money and free goods. You can check the validity of almost any mass e-mail at http://www.snopes.com/. Don't forward an e-mail unless you're sure that it contains accurate information. Not only do such e-mails confuse recipients, they are often used to collect e-mail addresses for spammers.
--Phishing Is A Growing Problem "Phishing" is the use of fraudulent e-mail designed to steal identities as well as vital personal information such as credit card numbers, bank account PINS and passwords. Phishing e-mails often ask you to verify this type of information. Legitimate companies never ask for your password or account number via e-mail. If you're not sure, call the company directly.
Phishing is one of the fastest-growing scams, and the 4th most frequent complaint received by the National Consumers League. Worse, it's getting tougher for consumers to accurately spot fake e-mails.
Don't Take The Bait
Don't reply to e-mail messages that claim your credit card information or other personal information needs to be updated.
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