| It goes without saying that all of us are | | | | time-consuming and often frustrating task, to |
| constantly on the lookout for a bargain. | | | | say the least! |
| Everyday, our mailboxes are filled with | | | | |
| 'too-good-to-be-true' offers of 'get rich | | | | Over-confidence is a factor that plays right |
| quick' schemes and opportunities that will | | | | into the hands of the internet fraudster. For |
| allow us to retire from work within a period | | | | example, the "Being conned only happens to |
| that seems faster than the speed of light. | | | | others, not me" syndrome. The "I'm not so |
| While some of these advertisements may be | | | | stupid as to be taken in by a conman!" |
| genuine and full of good intentions, it is | | | | attitude, etc., etc. Believe it or not, if |
| argued that around 95 per cent are nothing | | | | you think that it is only a dipstick or |
| but outright scams in one form or another. | | | | newbie that falls for the many facets of |
| | | | internet crime - I've got news for you - |
| For example, some of the offers that hit our | | | | there is a fraudster waiting just around the |
| email in - boxes often tell us that we can | | | | corner who is hell-bent on taking each and |
| become a millionaire inside a month - | | | | everyone of us to the cleaners - often |
| GUARANTEED - if we sign up for a particular | | | | without you knowing it at the time! |
| system or scheme. However, before you start | | | | |
| looking for a Hollywood mansion and/or plan | | | | In my experience, and that of many others |
| your new millionaire lifestyle. Ask yourself | | | | involved in the battle against internet |
| one simple question - How can anyone possibly | | | | fraud, far too many internet users place too |
| 'guarantee' entry to the millionaires club | | | | much reliance on software such as anti-virus, |
| within any period of time, if ever? The only | | | | anti-spyware, spam filters, etc. Make no |
| certainty is that the advertiser may stand a | | | | mistake, internet fraud is big business and |
| good chance of stashing away a fair amount of | | | | high-tech these days. Today, it would be fair |
| cash is a goodly number of folks fall for his | | | | to say that in a number of areas, the |
| or her claim. | | | | fraudsters are always one-step ahead of even |
| | | | the latest anti this or that device. If they |
| Sadly, statistics show that many people are | | | | are not, it doesn't take long for them to |
| lured into parting with their hard-earned | | | | develop methods which will enable their |
| dollars in the hope that they can live the | | | | nefarious operations to get under or through |
| lifestyle of their dreams. Don't believe it? | | | | our computer's defences. The good news is |
| Well...in 2007, just over 3 million people in | | | | that there are various steps you can take to |
| the United Kingdom alone were conned into | | | | further shore up your defences, to make your |
| get-rich-quick schemes or scams. Furthermore, | | | | computer a much safer place to conduct your |
| this figure is said to be only the tip of the | | | | business or simply surf the net for pleasure. |
| iceberg, for it is thought that there are | | | | |
| many more who were too embarrassed or ashamed | | | | The best basic advice to all those who use |
| to admit that they too had been | | | | the internet is - No one is safe from |
| taken-to-the-cleaners! | | | | internet fraud. Let me say that again - No |
| | | | one is safe from internet fraud! Secondly, it |
| 419 and lottery scams, to name but two, have | | | | may well be that you don't know your personal |
| been doing the email rounds for a long time | | | | details have been revealed to internet |
| now. Yet, they still claim their fair share | | | | criminals until you KNOW it - probably when |
| of victims from all over the world each year. | | | | it is too late to do anything about it! |
| Over time, there have been many theories | | | | |
| propounded as to why people seem to be so | | | | As the old adage tells us, "Prevention is |
| easily conned - greed, something for nothing | | | | better than cure!" To know what goes on in |
| (on the face of it), lack of information and | | | | the dark recesses of the internet is worldly |
| education on internet crime and so forth. | | | | wisdom in the truest sense of the word. Even |
| Even though there is some information on | | | | if you are busy earning a living on the |
| various forms of internet fraud, it would be | | | | internet or just a modest surfer or beginner, |
| fair to say that much of it is fragmented at | | | | spend some time leaning where the enemy lies |
| best, and available only to those who know | | | | in wait, how they operate, and the methods |
| where to look for the information - a | | | | they use, will assuredly be time well spent. |