Learning online is great, but make sure you stay safe.
Below are some tips to help keep you safe from online scams.
For safety on Facebook, see: Getting started with Facebook – note the recommended privacy settings.
Beware of Scams
You’ve probably heard about a number of online scares recently: logins stolen from Yahoo, ‘secure’ wifi that isn’t so secure after all, email scams that are more sophisticated by the day. Don’t let these scares put you off the benefits of being online.
If you’re alert and aware you can avoid the problems.
Protect against Scams
Be alert. If you get an email or phone call you suspect is not genuine:
- Verify –Check using contact details you get from a phone book or independent online search.
- Avoid clicking links – before clicking, hover your computer mouse over the URL (web link) and the ‘from’ email address:
- If an email address doesn’t end with the company’s name and .com after the ‘@’ symbol, it’s likely to be a scam.
- If a URL is different from the link description, it is probably a scam.
- Take your time – many scams will try to create a sense of urgency. Don’t be rushed into handing over your personal information.
- Consider your privacy – Only provide information such as Medicare numbers and credit card security codes to organisations you can trust. Requests for private data should ring alarm bells.
- Report – If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your financial institution immediately.