GetNetWise » Spam http://www.getnetwise.org/blog GetNetWise.org Tue, 26 Mar 2013 19:50:29 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Seen a friend’s email hijacked? Don’t let it happen to you. http://www.getnetwise.org/blog/2010/11/23/seen-a-friends-email-hijacked-dont-let-it-happen-to-you/ http://www.getnetwise.org/blog/2010/11/23/seen-a-friends-email-hijacked-dont-let-it-happen-to-you/#comments Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:31:50 +0000 GetNetWise http://www.getnetwise.org/blog/?p=109 Spammers and identity thieves have committed a rash of email hijacks lately. Maybe you’ve seen a friend’s email account hacked, sending out unwanted spam. These new email account hijacks are a disturbing twist on an old hack. In most cases users’ email accounts are taken over and used to send out spam. In a new twist identity thieves are using the email accounts to steal passwords and your identity and access online accounts such as Amazon, banks, etc. Often these ID thefts result in the deletion of your email account. Don’t let this happen to you.

K.C. Budd wrote a great set of tips about preventing email account hijacking and posted it on his Facebook page. Don’t be a victim.

]]> http://www.getnetwise.org/blog/2010/11/23/seen-a-friends-email-hijacked-dont-let-it-happen-to-you/feed/ 0 GetNetWise Tips: If it sounds too good to be true… http://www.getnetwise.org/blog/2009/12/09/getnetwise-tips-if-it-sounds-too-good-to-be-true/ http://www.getnetwise.org/blog/2009/12/09/getnetwise-tips-if-it-sounds-too-good-to-be-true/#comments Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:38:50 +0000 GetNetWise http://www.getnetwise.org/blog/?p=30 As we go online this holiday season to check off those gift lists, it’s extra important to keep in mind these tips for avoiding spam scams and maintaining your privacy as you shop.

  • If it sounds too good to be true, – it probably is. Fraudsters, scammers, and crooks take advantage of people via unwanted e-mail. The Federal Trade Commission has lots of information about ways to reduce the amount of spam you receive and how to report fraud.
  • Check the privacy policy when you submit your address to a Web site – Always be familiar with a Web site’s privacy policy before submitting any information. Learn more about how to read a privacy policy.
  • Protect your privacy while shopping online – GetNetWise offers these helpful tips for:
]]> http://www.getnetwise.org/blog/2009/12/09/getnetwise-tips-if-it-sounds-too-good-to-be-true/feed/ 0 Avoid Fraud by Playing Games http://www.getnetwise.org/blog/2009/10/21/avoid-fraud-by-playing-games/ http://www.getnetwise.org/blog/2009/10/21/avoid-fraud-by-playing-games/#comments Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:03:53 +0000 GetNetWise http://www.getnetwise.org/blog/?p=20 Are your online accounts and information safe? You should first ask yourself whether you know how to avoid getting “phished.” Phishing is when cyber crooks trick you into giving them your online username and passwords by masquerading as your online bank, email provider, social network etc.

Phishers send you an electronic communication, usually an email, that you would swear is from your bank, mortgage company or webmail provider. But it’s not. The message tells you that there is great urgency to log in to your account to avoid some problem such as your service being shut down or your bank account being closed. The email links you to a Web page that, again, you would swear belongs to your bank etc. But it doesn’t. It’s fake. When you type in your username and password you have actually just given it to the phishers who are using the fake site. You’ve been phished.

The best way to avoid being phished is to learn the signs of a phishing scam. There are a lot to look for and we recommend playing games to learn how. Both the Federal Trade Commission’s OnGuardOnline.gov and our friends at Carnegie Mellon University have created games to help users learn how not to be phished. Take a moment and play the below games. Who knows, it may save your sensitive personal information.

For more GetNetWise resources on recognizing secure Web sites watch the following GNW How-To Video Tutorials:

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