Essential Tips to Prevent Cybercrime and Protect Your Personal Information
Dec 16, 2010
When Ben Franklin famously wrote, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," he wasn't thinking about cybercrime. Yet, in today's world of phishing, shoulder-surfing, and spyware, his advice is more relevant than ever. Unfortunately, some people will take advantage of any opportunity to rip you off. Just as you take precautions when handling cash, you should be vigilant when using credit or debit cards, whether in person or online. Tips for Protecting Your Account Information and Avoiding Payment Card Scams Prevent Online Intrusions Use updated anti-virus and anti-spyware software. Only download information from trusted sites, and don't click on pop-up windows or suspicious links in emails. These can be tricks to install spyware, which can record your keystrokes to steal account or other confidential information. Use Secure Websites When purchasing items online, look for safety symbols like the padlock icon in the browser's status bar, an "s" after "http" in the U...