Beginner's guide
If you do nothing else, read this
The internet is great. People like to email, chat and have fun online. We also use it to buy and sell things, do our taxes or bank online. The problem is online criminals. To make money, they want to hijack your PC, rip you off and steal your identity.
Prevention is better than cure and GetSafeOnline.org can help. This is just a high-level overview, but the site has detailed advice that will explain it all.
Protect your PC
- Get anti-virus software, anti-spyware software and a firewall
- Keep your computer up to date
- Block spam emails
- Use an up to date web browser
- Make regular backups
- Encrypt your wireless network
Avoid online rip-offs
- When you’re shopping online, look for clear signs that you’re buying from a reputable company
- On an online auction site, learn how it works and learn to pick good sellers
- Use safe ways to pay, such as PayPal or credit and debit cards
- Use your common sense to avoid scams – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is
Take care of your identity and privacy
- Avoid identity theft by using an up to date web browser and blocking bogus emails with a spam filter
- Always use strong passwords
- Don’t give away too much personal information on blogs and social networking sites