Stop right there! Were you aware that not everything is what it seems online?

Before You Begin - It Can Happen To You

The Internet has millions of users.... and a big enough group of them are folks who try to break your security. It's possible to configure a computer to remotely probe thousands of other computers (like yours!) to scan for vulnerabilities... and you might not even be aware it's happening. It's not a question of one person manually testing each computer he or she finds online... instead it's a program itself that rapidly boom boom boom zooms and tests thousands of other PCs. Like yours. But not only that - people will also try to fool you online as well.

Step 1 - Seeing is Believing

Seeing is believing, you know. Consider the following link.

http://www.cnn.com

That link does indeed go to CNN.com. Now, compare it to:

http://www.cnn.com

Even though the above says Cnn.com, it really goes to my Owlbert store. Click on it and see!

Interesting, eh? But forgeries don't stop there online....other ways information might be falsely represented are via emails that look like they're from eBay, PayPal, your bank etc., stating that your account is frozen. To unfreeze it, you should click on a link and enter your personal information.

STOP! Remember that false link I demonstrated above? It's the same thing...but in the email forgery, if you're unlucky enough to click on it and fill out the information, your precious personal details will be freely distributed to scamsters across the Internet.

But not to fear. Your weapon to combat this is freely available here - it's called plain and simple security clarity!

Step 2 - Where You're Vulnerable

The most common ways people get compromised on the Internet are:

• Clicking on fraud links - You receive an email offering a free expensive item or stating that something you value is in peril. You click on the link and it takes you to a camouflaged fraud site. If you enter your personal information, you're basically up the proverbial paddle without a creek. Recommended Reaction - Always remember that legit sites will NEVER ask you for your personal information via email. Never ever.

• Opening fraud attachments - Computer viruses (bad evil software that will destroy your computer) are often camouflaged as eCards, screen savers, important word files, etc. If you open such an attachment, you will probably install a virus on your computer. Recommended Reaction - As viruses today can appear to come from your friends or family, never open attachments unless you have positively verified they're from the person in question.

• Believing things that are too good to be true - Sooner or later, you'll receive an email from a rich foreigner who asks for your help in return for several million dollars. This is called the Nigerian scam and is most prevalent; it's a great way of losing your life's savings. Or you might see a 6 thousand dollar electronics setup for sale at only $29, and be swayed to offer your credit card number. Or you might be offered a way to generate a million neopoints or SWG credits or other gaming commerce items, if only you give access to your personal account. Recommended Reaction - Ask yourself, would Yoda or Einstein or Owlbert believe this offer? If the answer is no, you shouldn't either.

Step 3 - For More Information

I'll go into more detail about this on my Protecting Yourself page. But in the meanwhile, here are some great resources to help yourself test out your computer's security and the like.

• About.com's Internet Security - lots of useful resources

• eMail Security Testing - resource that will send you compromised but harmless messages to test out your email security.

• StaySafeOnline.org - A not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) is the go-to resource for cyber security awareness and education for home user, small business, and education audiences.

For more resources, consider:

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