How to Protect Against Pharming

Pharming is an attempt to defraud Internet surfers by hijacking a Web site’s domain name, or URL, and redirecting users to an imposter Web site where fraudulent requests for information are made.

To protect yourself against pharming, follow these basic guidelines:

• Check the URL of any site that asks you to provide personal information. Make sure your session begins at the known authentic address of the site, with no additional characters appended to it.
  
  
• Maintain effective, up-to-date virus protection.
  
  
• Use a trusted, legitimate Internet Service Provider. Rigorous security at the ISP level is your first line of defense against pharming.
  
  
• Check the certificate. It takes just a few seconds to tell if a site you land on is legitimate. On the latest version of Internet Explorer and on many other commonly available Web browsers, go to "File"" in the main menu and select "Properties",or right click your mouse anywhere on the browser screen and, from the menu that pops up, click on"Properties. When the "Properties" box pops up, click on "Certificates" and check if the site carries a secure certificate from its legitimate owner.
  
  
• Avoiding visiting suspicious websites.
  
  
• Block suspicious Web sites automatically. Softwares like Norton confidential detects and blocks fake Web sites, making it easier for you to be confident most of the sites you are using are legitimate.

How to Protect Against Phishing

Phishing is an online con game, and phishers are nothing more than tech-savvy con artists. In a typical phishing scam, phishers send out emails, which appear to come from a legitimate company, in an attempt to scam users into providing private information that will be used for identity theft.

Phishers use a variety of sophisticated devices to steal information—including pop-up windows, URL masks which simulate real Web addresses, and keystroke loggers that capture account names and passwords.

To protect yourself against phishing, follow these basic guidelines:

• Be wary of emails asking for confidential information—especially of a financial nature. Legitimate organizations will never request sensitive information via email.
  
  
• Don’t get pressured into providing sensitive information. Phishers like to use scare tactics, and may threaten to disable an account or delay services until you update certain information. Be sure to contact the merchant directly to confirm the authenticity of their request.
  
  
• Familiarize yourself with a Web site’s privacy policy.
  
  
• Watch out for generic-looking requests for information. Fraudulent emails are often not personalized, while authentic emails from your bank often reference an account you have with them.
  
  
• Never submit confidential information via forms embedded within email messages.
  
  
• Never use links in an email to connect to a Web site. Instead, open a new browser window and type the URL directly into the address bar.
  
  
• Maintain effective software to combat phishing.
  

Prevention from Online Fraud and Identity Theft

Online fraud is a type of cyber crime that uses email, web sites, chat rooms or message boards. There are many different types of online fraud, including phishing and pharming scams, which use forged e-mails and Web sites to trick recipients into giving out personal information such as credit card data, social security numbers, and passwords.

When armed with a little technical advice and common sense, you can prevent online fraud.
We recommends following these basic steps to avoid becoming a victim of online fraud:

Do's

• Consider disabling file sharing on your computer.
• Be careful about opening attachments, especially from unknown senders.
• Familiarize yourself with a Web site’s privacy policy, especially if you are asked to provide confidential and/or personal data.
• Review bank and credit card statements regularly.
  
• Install and regularly update software firewall, antivirus, and anti-spyware solutions.
• Keep your Windows operating system and all your applications updated with the latest security patches.
• Create strong passwords and protect them carefully or consider using password protection software.
• Shred bank and credit card statements and other financial data before disposal.
• Check your bank and credit card statements monthly.
• Strong passwords have eight characters or more, and use a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols.
• Take advantage of your right to a free annual credit report.
• If you think you’ve become a victim of ID theft or cybercrime, report it to the proper authorities immediately.
  
  

Don’ts

• Don’t provide personal data to anyone over the phone or in person (for a job or loan application, for example) unless you are certain of the other party’s trustworthiness.
• Don’t ever give out your personal information in response to an email, a web site you’ve come to through an external link, or a pop-up screen that appears on a real Web site. Open a new browser window and type the URL directly into the address bar to ensure the site is legitimate.
• Don’t keep financial data on laptops unless absolutely necessary; laptops are far more likely to be stolen than desktops.

Transact safely

The Basics: Getting Started

Transaction security describes the safety of your confidential information as it is sent across the Internet, and the need to protect it from con artists who try to steal it for their own benefit.

To protect yourself, We recommend following these basic guidelines:

• Keep your computer updated with the latest patches and updates as soon as they become available.
  
  
• Make sure your computer is configured securely, especially when it comes to configuring your Web browser and email software. Security and privacy settings can often be configured without any special expertise, simply by using the "Help" feature of your software, or visiting the vendor’s web site.
  
  
• Choose strong passwords and keep them safe. Strong passwords have eight characters or more and use a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols.
  
  
• Review bank and credit card statements regularly.
  
  
• Protect your computer with essential security software, including a software firewall and antivirus protection. We recommend Zone Labs Firewall and Norton Internet Security Suite .
  
  
• Exercise caution when sharing any personal information online.
  
  
• Keep in mind that online offers that look too good to be true usually are.