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SALT LAKE CITY — Many people don't even give a second thought to how they spend their time online. It's easy to log onto your favorite social network, check out a few pictures, and be on your way. Even our children are becoming increasingly "Internet-savvy" these days. With so much integration between life and computer, experts recommend an extra dose of caution when surfing the Web.
While Utahns won't be able to eliminate every risk stemming from being online, there are some things we can do to mitigate the dangers. The Utah Division of Consumer Protection says e-commerce and Internet offers continue to be one of the top methods for scamming. “Online classifieds have become fertile ground for fraudsters seeking new victims for fake check scams,” said Francine A. Giani, executive director of the Utah Department of Commerce. “While these online sites are convenient for consumers seeking jobs, goods and services, many scam artists are using them to steal your hard‐earned money."
While certainly not an exhaustive list, here are five basic tips you can start using today to keep yourself, and your kids, safe while online.
1. Educate yourself
Read up on the latest scams making their way around the Internet, including email scams, phishing tactics and deals that sound "too good to be true." As consumers become more aware of the methods con artists use to steal people's money or identities, the fraudsters in turn are changing their tactics to appear more legitimate. Even popular social networks, such as Facebook, are aware of the threats, and offer updates to help patrons recognize the risks. Facebook's security page is an example of such an endeavor and lists malicious codes, spam wall post indicators and generally how to separate the good from the not so good.
2. buy from trusted sites
There's no limit to what you can purchase from a website these days. From vacations to groceries, anything you could ever want is just a click away. But how do you know which sites are safe to buy from? The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has a resource available called On Guard Online and lists seven practices for computer security. One such practice is getting to know the particular website you want to shop from. Many legitimate e-commerce sites list a privacy policy, where you can find out if you have the right to see what information the site has about you, and what particular security measures are implemented to protect your information while browsing their site.
3. Ask around
So, you've come across a site with a fantastic holiday sale taking place, but you're not familiar with the name. This is a great opportunity to enlist the advice of your friends and family. Have they purchased anything from the site before? How quickly does the product ship? What is the site's return and exchange policy? Many times, this information is available on the website itself, but hearing a first-person account from a trusted friend is often worth more.
4. Bulk up
We're not talking about protein drinks. You should have a solid line of defense between your Internet and your computer, and a robust security software suite is key to staying safe. A firewall can monitor the traffic between the Internet and computer, and many computers come with this software preinstalled. All you need to do is activate it. Also, make sure you have anti-virus and anti-spyware software with automatic updates. Some scammers actually distribute viruses and malware disguised as anti-virus software, so be aware the next time a pop-up displays on your computer screen telling you the computer has detected malware.
5. Investigate
Once you've found an online store that you'd like to do business with, find out how active they are socially. Many companies have social media accounts and post updates about the company or industry. This is a way for consumers to interact with the people behind the company, as well as see if people are talking about the company in a favorable light. For example, The Coffee Mash is an affiliate website that sells coffee through Amazon.com, and the products list consumer reviews. Some are positive and some are negative, but both types of reviews help you get a better understanding of the website and how they conduct business. Check to see if the website has reviews on Yelp.com, Judysbook.com, or local.yahoo.com. While no business is immune from negative reviews, see if the company or website has responded to the negative post, and how they generally handled the situation.
In April 2011, KSL's Sarah Dallof reported about private info being accessed through photos you post online, and how you can turn off your cell phone's geotagging feature. A story like this is especially concerning for parents, with the increasing number of children using computers every day. "Parents don't understand the technology they're using and they're giving to their children," Sariah Donnahoo with the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force tells Dallof in an interview. With more businesses operating e-commerce ventures, it's important to educate yourself, and your children, about the dangers of online shopping.
Andrew Johnson is a writer, journalist and marketing specialist.
