Protecting yourself against identity theft

Identity theft happens in a multitude of ways.  It can range from somebody using your credit card details illegally to make purchases over the internet or telephone, through to having your entire identity assumed by another person to open bank accounts, take out loans, and conduct other business illegally in your name.

Identity Theft Prevention Checklist

Are you vulnerable to identity theft? Take a quiz using this checklist to determine ways you could reduce your chance of falling victim to identity theft.

Checklist for secure online banking

Are you an online banking user? Do you know how you could protect yourself from the potential dangers and pitfalls? Here is a useful security checklist for online banking users, compiled by CHOICE.com.au.

Are You Scam-Smart?

Phishing e-mails are designed to look like they are sent by legitimate businesses. Can you tell the difference between a fake and the real thing?

13 Ways to Protect Your Computer

Free Website Checker

McAfee SiteAdvisor ( www.siteadvisor.com ) is a great tool for checking website integrity. Simply enter any URL and SiteAdvisor's robot will conduct a safety test on the website.

SiteAdvisor checks for:
1. Spam
2. Viruses
3. Spywares
4. Pop-ups

SiteAdvisor also allows Internet users to submit reviews about websites.

Free Online Virus Scanner

There is a good selection of free online virus and spyware scanners from reputable anti-virus companies you could use. They are always updated with the latest virus definitions and you don't need to install anything on your computer (well, almost) to use them.

Give them a try today, and use them regularly to check that your PC is free from any malware.

Hackers Use IM to Commit Cyber Crime

Instant messaging (IM) is the quickest and easiest way to communicate online with friends and coworkers. However, IM is also an increasingly popular way for cyber criminals to distribute worms, viruses, and Trojans, and to commit fraud. Hackers like to target IM because they can use network ports that are already open for the IM client instead of having to open suspicious new ports.

10 Ways To Avoid Spam

Spam, definied as unsolicited bulk email, now constitutes about 70-80% of global email traffic. It has evolved over the years from being a mere nuisance to a severe PC security risk that could compromise personal and confidential information stored on your computer.

Deleting and dealing with spam is becoming a necessary chore. But you can stop spam at its track, by following these 10 useful tips.

Are you spam smart?

Free money on the Internet

The Internet is wonderful. You get all sorts of free offers, prizes and even money! But are these too-good-to-be-true and make-me-rich opportunities really free?

They all want to give you easy money. Why not take it?

Spyware Quiz

They say it's hard to judge a book by its cover. We'd argue that it's even harder to judge the safety of a Web site by its looks. Think you can sniff out which sites are adware & spyware free?

How to escape from junk mail hell 

14 Oct 2006, SMH - Are you sick of spam? You should be. By the end of this year, 71 per cent of email sent worldwide will be spam, according to The Radicati Group. However, all is not lost. There are some basic steps, services and products that can help you reduce and manage spam mails.

Money Transfer Scams - What You Should Know

(also called money laundering, mule recruitment, employment scams, home business scams)

So you have been offered a "job" to act as an agent for money transfer. All you need to do is receive money to your bank account, keep 7% to 15% of the received amount, and transfer the balance to an overseas bank account. Sounds like easy cash? Well, what you don't know is that you are being asked to launder money out of the country for crime syndicates and even terrorists. You could be imprisoned for up to 25 years for the illegal act of money laundering!

Government launches SCAMWATCH website to combat online scams

The most effective protection against falling prey to scams is to be informed about them in the first place. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has a dedicated website that informs the public about common and the latest scams.

CERT's Guide on How To Strengthen Your Web Browser Security 

This guide will help you configure your web browser for safer internet surfing. It is written for home computer users, students, small business workers, and any other person who works with limited information technology (IT) support and broadband (cable modem, DSL) or dial-up connectivity.

Virus Detection and Prevention Tips

Do you know that a new Internet user is likely to have his or her PC infected with either a virus or spyware within the first 20 minutes of usage?

Here are some tips to protect your computer!

Spywares and trojans in web freebies 

30 July 2005, Sydney Morning Herald - Cyber criminals have found a new doorway into our hard drives, this time under the guise of seemingly friendly community sites, blogs and freebies.