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 »

As Valentine’s Day approaches, like countless others you may be thinking about love or romance. More and more people these days are looking to the internet as a means of finding a relationship, and according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 63 million Americans say they know someone who has used an online dating site. While most have had positive experiences, there are still potential hidden dangers that are associated with any online social networking tools that you should know about. As friendly as they may seem, you are still interacting with someone who you don’t really know, and who may not be completely honest in how they present themselves to you. With online dating sites, when emotions are involved, there may be a greater chance that someone is able to prey on potential vulnerability and turn you into the victim of a scam. Continue reading Outsmart Scammers: Falling In Love Or Falling Into A Scam? »

When it comes to accessing your money, ATMs were designed to be easy, saving you time during a short lunch break or after the bank closes. And especially now during the holiday season, most of us are grabbing our cash wherever is most convenient. But a new scam is out there and con artists have found a way to quickly and easily steal your account information and PIN access number without you even knowing. Continue reading Outsmart Scammers: Don’t Get Cashed Out At The ATM This Season »

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, more than 51 million Americans are expected to shop online this holiday season. And why not? It’s a great alternative to fighting the holiday crowds all over town for a whole month. Plus, you can use the Internet to order just about anything and have it shipped to your door. But with the ease and simplicity also come many risks to keep your personal information safe on the World Wide Web. The National Consumers League provides some ways to keep everything safe and secure while shopping online Continue reading Outsmart Scammers: Make Shopping Online A Private Affair »