The Online Scam Test

It's a dangerous Internet out there. People typically use visual cues when evaluating whether to trust another person - eyes, body language, etc. With the Internet, you don't even have to be a good actor, and you don't even have to physically meet your victim to rip them off.

• NEVER trust a link in an email. For an excellent quiz on how good you are at picking out fake emails, look at the Sonic Wall Phishing IQ Test.
• Just because an email is from someone you know well, doesn't mean that they sent the email!
• Keep your computer up to date with patches, ESPECIALLY if you run Microsoft Windows. Windows systems are the most widely used and therefore the most likely target for attack.
• If you have a broadband connection (Cable or DSL) I highly recommend that you install a router, such as a Linksys or D-Link. The nice thing is that these boxes lock down external access to your computer. I look at my access logs occasionally and I'm always amazed at how many programs are out there, trying to break into my system, but are stopped by the router. Anti-Virus programs aren't a bad idea either.
• There are lots of ways to put windows up behind other windows while browsing - if you get an alert that your computer is out of date, don't trust it, use the utilities that came with the computer (i.e. Windows Update or similar).
• Google for "419 Scams" to find out about offshore scams
• If you're a US resident, the last 4 digits of your Social Security number are often enough to steal an identity, if the thief knows where you were born (or where you lived when the card was issued).
• Similarly, if the thief knows who issued your credit card, the last 4 digits of your credit card are often enough to steal a credit card number
• Dating sites are likely targets for scammers, because people tend to be a bit more open. Trust your instinct.

Let's be careful out there...