TIPS 4 Identifying Internet Scams

How to Identify Internet Scams TIPS

Internet scam artists are smart, so you need to be smarter to protect yourself.

                           Internet scams can be extremely dangerous to you and your identify. They can be difficult to identify as well, which makes them even more dangerous. If you fall for an Internet scam, you might find that you are the victim of intellectual property theft, or even monetary or identity theft. It is important to understand and keep in mind some basic tips for identifying Internet scams so you don't fall prey to them.

TIPS

1.           Pay attention to the address bar whenever you visit a site. Know the addresses for popular or frequently used sites, so you can recognize when you may be at a duplicate site. One popular Internet scam entails creating a mirror site for a popular website, like that of a credit card company or bank, and stealing personal information when people use that mirror site. Check the name of the site to be sure it is correct, and if it is a secure site, check for the "https" instead of "http" in the address bar.

2.         Pay attention to the policies of your bank, your money management site and any sites you typically use a credit card for. Most of these sites have policies that state they will never ask you for your credit card number or password via e-mail. If you are asked to provide any of this information in an e-mail, double-check with the site or company before you do so. Many times scam artists will send fake e-mails urging you to provide personal information, which will be stolen.

3.    Visit sites only when you know and can trust the content found on them. Internet scams are found all over the web, so your best bet is to avoid any sites that might not be familiar to you. If you've never been to a site before or have not worked with a particular company, don't provide any personal information until you are sure it is legitimate. You can always check with the Better Business Bureau to make sure

4.  Ignore e-mails that are suspect. These are e-mails that ask you for money or your personal information, ask you to do any type of transaction at a bank, or ask you to sell merchandise or goods for a percentage of the profits. Also ignore e-mails that tell you you've won a lottery or a major award if you have not signed up for any type of sweepstakes.