Just as any weapon has the potential to be used as good or evil, the internet is also susceptible to evil. Because so many choose to use the internet for their business and personal communication and have made the internet such a huge part of today's society, criminals flock to take advantage here of anyone they can.
Online Scams
Scams on the internet are as common as the hundreds of unsolicited messages people get in their e-mail daily. These messages have actually been where many scams originate and claim their victims. Over the last four years, the number that have been deceived by these scams has been on the rise, 2005 showed $13 million were lost by US citizens to online scams. Durring hard times it seems even more people are scammed.
Scams don't employ the same technique every time they strike, they have multiple ways in wich they seek to deceive from very simple to very complex. There have been victims who learned the hard way that scam artist will even catch them through using big internet entities such as PayPal and E-Bay.
Computer Infections
One of the biggest threats plaguing the internet today is all the contagious infections floating around in cyberspace. Anyone who accesses the internet, particularly PC users, needs to be very cautious when surfing the web or even opening email.
Unsolicited email sent by spammers is notoriously known for coming attached with malicious software, be it a virus, Trojan or worm. Once you open the attachment, your system becomes compromised and might spread the infection along to people in your contact list.
Programs known as adwares are even more potentially hazardious, because they can send you waves of advertisements that you don't want as well as spyware that can actually monitor your online actions and record your valuable information. Some viruses may only cause your computer to run slowly while other have the power to completely destroy every file you have and turn your computer into a paper weight.
Social Networking Sites
There is yet another negative to the internet and it may not appear to be as danger as it can be at its worst. Online communities like MySpace are looked at as nothing more than fun and games, however, where evil can get in it does. There are so many people who will enjoy these sites and post stupid pictures of themselves or even personal information and not know the danger they have just placed themselves in.
Simply take a look at any given MySpace profile, and you will find a user that exposes all types of personal information from photos to more personal details. It may all seem like harmless fun, but these renowned internet communities have been the center of many offline incidents that have resulted in arrests and even murder.
Practice Internet Safety
The internet like any city in America cannot be completley cleaned out, but you can personally protect yourself. Filters can be installed so that kids can surf safe and you the parent can rest easy that they won't happen upon unwanted content. There are also anti-virus software that are available that will protect you from many unknown online threats.
Internet users have to understand that they should never open unsolicited email or give out their personal information to someone online. If you install a good security software and practice safe computing you will greatly limit your risk of being a victim to the world wide web.
Online Scams
Scams on the internet are as common as the hundreds of unsolicited messages people get in their e-mail daily. These messages have actually been where many scams originate and claim their victims. Over the last four years, the number that have been deceived by these scams has been on the rise, 2005 showed $13 million were lost by US citizens to online scams. Durring hard times it seems even more people are scammed.
Scams don't employ the same technique every time they strike, they have multiple ways in wich they seek to deceive from very simple to very complex. There have been victims who learned the hard way that scam artist will even catch them through using big internet entities such as PayPal and E-Bay.
Computer Infections
One of the biggest threats plaguing the internet today is all the contagious infections floating around in cyberspace. Anyone who accesses the internet, particularly PC users, needs to be very cautious when surfing the web or even opening email.
Unsolicited email sent by spammers is notoriously known for coming attached with malicious software, be it a virus, Trojan or worm. Once you open the attachment, your system becomes compromised and might spread the infection along to people in your contact list.
Programs known as adwares are even more potentially hazardious, because they can send you waves of advertisements that you don't want as well as spyware that can actually monitor your online actions and record your valuable information. Some viruses may only cause your computer to run slowly while other have the power to completely destroy every file you have and turn your computer into a paper weight.
Social Networking Sites
There is yet another negative to the internet and it may not appear to be as danger as it can be at its worst. Online communities like MySpace are looked at as nothing more than fun and games, however, where evil can get in it does. There are so many people who will enjoy these sites and post stupid pictures of themselves or even personal information and not know the danger they have just placed themselves in.
Simply take a look at any given MySpace profile, and you will find a user that exposes all types of personal information from photos to more personal details. It may all seem like harmless fun, but these renowned internet communities have been the center of many offline incidents that have resulted in arrests and even murder.
Practice Internet Safety
The internet like any city in America cannot be completley cleaned out, but you can personally protect yourself. Filters can be installed so that kids can surf safe and you the parent can rest easy that they won't happen upon unwanted content. There are also anti-virus software that are available that will protect you from many unknown online threats.
Internet users have to understand that they should never open unsolicited email or give out their personal information to someone online. If you install a good security software and practice safe computing you will greatly limit your risk of being a victim to the world wide web.
About the Author:
Sam Garnebo has been providing parents with knowledge and power to protect their children for more than ten years. Check out his blog on Internet Filters for more and advice. Don't reprint this exact article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.
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