Safe Shopping on the Internet
It's no secret that the internet can be a dangerous place. With identity thieves, malware, and hackers lurking at every corner, being cautious is essential. But all of that danger can become a non-issue when you just follow these simple safety precautions and guidelines when shopping online:
Use passwords - Use word passwords with letters, numbers, symbols and upper case letters for safety purposes. That way nobody but you will know it.
Shop anonymously - Use an anonymous browser like Tor to shop online while keeping your real location hidden from those around you.
Take physical photos of the items - Use your smartphone or a camera to photograph the item you want to buy. This way if it is not as described or does not arrive you have proof and can take legal actions.
Use shopping apps - There are plenty of shopping apps that can help you pay for items, compare prices to other retailers, and track your package. Just make sure they are safe and have good user reviews before using them.
Use anti-virus software - Make sure that the computer you plan on shopping on is protected by some sort of anti-virus software. Malware can easily cause all types of trouble if it infects your computer, so be careful and protect yourself ahead of time.
Do not use local classified ads - To ensure you are getting a good deal, do not purchase from local ads. There is always a possibility that the seller will be in a different state or country and putting it on Craigslist or something similar only brings you in contact with the criminal element.
Be mindful of the time of day - Use common sense. If you think something seems too good to be true, it's probably not worth it.
With these very simple safety precautions, you can shop safely and confidently online! For more tips on protecting yourself online read this article here: http://www.internetsecuritytoday.com/take-concious-steps-to-protect-yourself-online.
*This article was originally published on November 28, 2013 and has been updated to reflect new information.
Categories: Personal safety & Security Tags: Anti Virus Virus Safety Shopping Online Shopping Tips Internet Security Today Safe Shopping on the Internet
Posted by Diana at 9:15 AM
Learn how to protect your online identity and access online privacy/security by reading this article about good password practices: http://www.internetsecuritytoday.com/goodpasswordpractices.htm Want to know how to safely use your credit card online? Read this article: http://www.internetsecuritytoday.com/usecreditcardresponsiblyonline.htm
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Hackers can be extremely hard to catch, but not if you know what to look out for! By following these tips on spotting a hacker and protecting yourself you will stay safe online: - Hackers will often use free Wi-Fi networks to access your computer remotely and steal data from it or do other harmful things with your internet connection. Do not connect to free Wi-Fi unless you have downloaded and installed antivirus software on the computer before connecting. - Hackers will often try to trick you into downloading malicious software by disguising it as something else. If a link looks strange or you get an error, do not click on it. Also, be wary of downloads from torrent sites and other places where malicious programs are known to be spread via file sharing. - Hackers can also steal your passwords by recording what you type when logging into a website through a keylogger or other program. To stay safe, always keep your antivirus software up-to-date and install a firewall that limits access to outside connections. - Hackers will often use phishing scams to fool people into giving them private information like passwords or credit card numbers. To stay safe, practice good password practices and never give out information that is important to you. - Hackers can also take over your computer remotely through computers on the same network. This is known as a "brute force" attack and if it succeeds, you will no longer be in control of your device anymore. To stay protected against this kind of attack, make sure all downloads are done through a secure connection like a VPN or torrent client. - Be wary of attachments that seem to come from someone you know or that say they are from an important organization like PayPal, banks or government agencies. These are likely malicious viruses and should not be opened. If you do get a legitimate email like this, don't click on any links or open any attachments. Instead, visit that site directly by typing the address into your browser and make sure it is safe. - Hackers can also gain access to your computer through malicious software known as malware. This can be avoided by using an antivirus and keeping it up to date with current definitions. You should also keep your operating system and software up-to-date along with all security patches that come out regularly. - Be aware of the emails you receive. Don't just click on links or attachments right away if you are not expecting them. This can open your computer to a virus or malware that could steal your personal information. Also, it is good to know who your friends are and the types of messages they send out, so you are not surprised by strange emails in your inbox. - If you have any additional tips for staying safe online, please leave them below! _____ How to tell if a person is just being nice or trying to access information on your computer: http://www.internetsecuritytoday.com/tips-tellifsomeoneisjustbeingniceorattemptingtogainaccesstocontrolofyourcomputer.htm Want to know how to safely use your credit card online? Read this article: http://www.internetsecuritytoday.com/usecreditcardresponsiblyonline.htm *This article was originally published on July 29, 2013 and has been updated with new information. Categorized in: Security & Safety, How To Consumer | Facebook Comments are disabled for security reasons. To leave a comment please read our Terms of Use
Categories: General Interest Tags: Credit Card Email Messages Internet Security Today Never Give Information That Is Important to You Once you register an account with a social media site like Facebook or Twitter, you are immediately signed up for their services. How do you know what your friends are up to? How can you keep track of your kids' activities on Facebook? And how do you manage who sees what on Twitter? The answers to all these questions start with the social media accounts, which are tied to your contact information. To get started, sign in to your account and go through the "About" or "Activity" pages so you can add information about yourself and manage your account settings. From there search for and follow relevant people or groups who share similar interests. A simple Facebook search can show you what friends are up-to-date on the latest news and connect them with photos of their pets, projects they worked on together or other topics that interest them.
Conclusion The conclusion is that there is no single website that offers complete security and privacy. Many of them offer more than just a web browser and console of an international, sophisticated hacker. They also offer virus and malware protection. Some websites may have more methods to protect your privacy than others, but it never hurts to learn as much as possible about how they operate. It can also help you know what's safe to click on and what's not. This article from The Guardian provides a good overview of the pros and cons of the different social media websites out there, but ultimately it all comes down to your safety in deciding which site you go with (or which one you don't).