TIP #1: NEVER, EVER, EVER sign in with your user name and/or password after clicking on a link in an email. Better yet - my personal advice - never click on a link in an email. If it's a site you go to frequently, use the link you probably have on your desktop or in a file. If it's a site you have seldom or never used, type the basic address into your browser bar (the http: or www. thru .com,net,org, etc.) and visit that way. Your spyware and/or virus protection should alert you if it's a dangerous site (and if you don't have spyware/virus protection, there's some decent free software out there - GET SOME ASAP!!).
I've received emails saying that "so & so" wants to be your friend on FB! They look totally legitimate and are almost exact copies of the legitimate FB emails. For anyone that has spent some time on FB, you do get contacted by people whose name you may not immediately recognize, so it is tempting to click, sign in and "see" who this person might be. Only none of these people are in my Friend Requests when I sign into FB on my own!! Those emails are simply ways to access any information you have entered into FB plus your FB friends list.
TIP #2: When registering with a site, give only the REQUIRED information. Leave all OPTIONAL fields blank, you can always add more info at a later date. If you feel that the site is requiring too much information or don't see why they would need that information (i.e. A forum to discuss organic gardening does not need your SS#, a credit card, or your birth date), DO NOT GIVE IT TO THEM.
TIP #3: Take the time to check unknown or unvisited urls/addresses out. Simply copy and paste them into a search engine like Google or Bing, and see what comes up. Lots of gobbly-gook entries that make no sense? or just chains of words alphabetically related? Sounds like a phishing site to me, at the least it wants to plant a cookie on you so they can follow you around the web, at the worst will go after any and all info it can get. Or there might be results from other searchers that have posted to boards or forums with info that may clue you into the legitimacy or the fraudulence of the site.
TIP #4: Curiousity killed the cat BUT satisfaction brought it back. I'm pretty sure we all have avenues we might want to explore on the web that could put us in contact with some fringe elements. Be it a curiousity about ufo's, singles chat rooms, vampires, corsets, - yes, corsets. Acutally any antique dealer who has done any detailed online research into vintage clothing has probably found themselves clicking into some sites that were by no means educational in a fashion/design/historical sense!
So you want to peek down some unknown alleys? you want to register your email address so you can get thru the door? no problem. That's right - no problem. JUST SET UP A NEW EMAIL ACCOUNT TO EXPLORE WITH!!!! Whether by cable or phone line, if you have an internet provider you have 5 to 10 available online email addresses. That's not counting all the places you can set up free email accounts - gmail, hotmail, yahoo, aol. Open a new email address and explore - you can always go back and re-register with your legitimate account if you like or become involved with a site. And it a site turns out to be a real horror story - I registered for one site and the next morning had 150 emails waiting - you just cancel that email account. I probably opened and closed about a dozen or so email addresses in the first few years of wandering online. Never transfer your address book over, set up any profiles or provide any of your own personal links when setting up these addresses. Remember - surf safely.
TIP #5: Be aware of Facebook apps!!! and what they do!!!! Every "heart", "teddy bear", "dragon", "mafia", "game", "iq/personality quiz", etc. that shows up on your FB page from a friend - every one, when you click it - EVERY ONE has this little disclaimer saying that accepting this gift, joining this, whatever, means that you ALLOW THIS APP TOTAL ACCESS TO ALL THE PEOPLE ON YOUR FRIENDS LIST AND ALL THE INFO THEY ALLOW YOU TO SEE. I'm glad they let you know, I just don't know how many folk read and understand that little disclaimer? In any case - I say no to apps that are going to crawl thru my friends list; you, as well as me, are none of their business!
TIP #6: Do you use tabs? I use them like crazy and recently read a warning concerning them. If you are at your bank, Paypal, broker, or other online financial site, be wary of opening new tabs, even within the site. A way to "get into" open tabs not in use, has been used by hackers. Say you sign in to your bank account, then you want to check something out under History. If you are like me you are lible to just right click on History and then click Open In New Tab, find what you're looking for, close the tab and still have your home page open. Tabs are safe and fine to use, but it's probably a good idea to not use them on sites rich with confidential info. Windows has issued a patch for this with their regular updates, but the possibilities are still open to questions. Once again - better safe than sorry!
