The Internet can be a safe place to meet people online, but how can you be sure that someone is being honest on their dating profile? According to online safety expert Jayne Hitchcock, a common mistake people make online is falling into a false sense of security, and becoming overly trusting of people you meet. She advises you to ask questions, treat the person as you would a stranger in real life. Continue reading Date Smart: Finding the Flaws in Online Dating »

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), as many as 9 million Americans are victims of some form of identity theft every year. Whether conned into a phishing scam, visiting a malicious website, or having your mail stolen from your mailbox, there are hundreds of ways that lowlifes can take advantage of you and grab your personal information.

Criminals like AMW Fugitive Kurt Sohrbeck, a crook who cops say stole identities and thousands of dollars by making charges in other people’s names, are looking for ways to rob you of your identity, drain your bank account, and ruin your credit. Continue reading Outsmart Scammers: Be On Guard Against Identity Theft »

More than a billion people use the Internet, making the web a very enticing place for con artists to strike. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center lists Internet auction fraud as the most-reported offense, comprising 44.9% of referred complaints in 2007.

In the comfort of your own home, shopping on auction sites offers a convenient way to uncover hard-to-find items, compare prices and score some great deals. But when it comes to using online auction sites, a little bit of research can go a long way to protecting yourself from a scammer. When shopping online, always make sure you are dealing with a secure website by checking that the site’s URL contains either https:// or shttp://. You should also check for the padlock icon at the bottom of your browser window Continue reading Outsmart Scammers: Keep Online Auctions from Being a Scammer’s Paradise »

With kids today spending so much time online, it’s incredibly important for parents to know just what their kids are up to. While the Internet can be a great tool for kids to learn and keep up with friends, one of the biggest mistakes kids make online is sharing too much personal information about themselves. It can be incredibly dangerous: many kids think they’re safe because they’re only sharing things with their friends, but they may not realize that there could be other people accessing their details as well.

The experts at the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) offer tips that can help you talk to your kids about how to make their time online safer. Continue reading Talking To Your Kids About Online Safety »