Online Fraud Prevention Guide
Help protect your home computer from online fraud by taking a few simple precautions.
Create Strong Passwords
Remember that passwords are the keys to your secure information. Make your passwords as difficult to guess as possible. Always use a combination of letters and numbers. Below are some helpful
methods for creating and remembering strong passwords:
Select a line from a favorite song, poem, or quote and use the first letter of each word to create your password: The Star Spangled Banner becomes tssb7.
Use two short words and connect them with a number or special character: run@it.
Use a combination of upper case letters, lower case letters, and numbers: Urthe12C.
Use a word that you can easily remember, but remove the vowels and replace them with numbers: money becomes m0n3y.
Use the Web Wisely
Being mindful to avoid potential hazards online will help protect you from online fraud.
Do not let Web browsers store passwords for you.
Do not transmit passwords in unencrypted email and Web forms.
Install spam blocking software and keep it up to date.
Delete spam without reading it.
Do not open file attachments unless you know what they contain.
Think before you do business with a website. SSL does not provide any assurance that the vendor is trustworthy or that their database of customer information is secure.
Limit financial and personal data you send to websites.
Opt out of marketing notices.
If the website gives you the option of not storing your information for later use, take it.
Limit use of cookies and applets to those few sites that provide services you need.
Maintain Your Security
Information security is an ongoing process. Make sure you regularly maintain any security measures.
Keep your computer operating system, Web browser, and security settings up to date.
Install antivirus software on your computer and keep it up to date.
Equip your computer with either a software firewall or a hardware firewall.
Scan your computer for spyware regularly.
Turn off your computer when you are not using it.
Back up your computer onto disk, tape, or CDROM regularly.
Regularly delete your cookies and clean out temp folders.
Limit the applications on your machine. If you no longer need it, uninstall it.
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