Rules of Safety for the Internet

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You may have heard horror stories of how people had their identities stolen or fell for a scam on the Internet. In reality, this can happen to anyone, especially if the person doesn't follow Internet safety rules. Luckily, there are ways to guard yourself against scams and Internet predators without leaving yourself vulnerable to attack.

Care in Spending Money

There are so many websites that sell goods that it's hard to figure out which ones are legitimate. When you're looking for something to buy from the comfort of your computer, stick with well-known websites such as Amazon.com and mass retailers' websites such as Target.com and BestBuy.com.

If you find a specialty website selling something you can't find anywhere else, there are several ways to protect yourself. First, look for adequate contact information. This is usually at the bottom of the page. If you can't find any, you may want to avoid the site. You can also find out if stores or products are a scam by looking for them in a search engine. Put the name of the store along with the word "scam" and see what comes up. If they've been scamming people, you'll find lots of people complaining about it on various websites.

Most computer viruses come from downloading files. Take caution before you download anything. Especially avoid downloading email attachments unless they are from someone you know personally. If you must download software or other multimedia, you can use an anti-virus program to check if it's infected before installing it. Software such as Norton Antivirus and McAfee come with this option.

Enter your personal information on the Internet sparingly. Many websites want to know this information when you register to become a member. If they ask for things such as your full name, mailing address or social security number, avoid signing up with them. Websites shouldn't need this kind of information for a simple registration. If you're sure you want to sign up anyway, research the company first to make sure they're on the level.

Many people use the Internet as a way to meet people. Whether for dating or friendship, this has been a popular aspect of the Internet since the beginning. While some online interaction can be innocent, you should still keep yourself safe from predators. Avoid giving specific information about yourself, including where you live, your last name, the school you go to or where you work. Remember that, while some people are honest on the Internet, there's no way to tell if someone is lying about himself.