The Internet is vast and filled with many different dangers for people of all ages. There is really no set age where someone can be completely safe from online dangers. There are several ways to protect children, adults, and the elderly from falling victim to dangers online.

How to Keep Kids Safe on the Internet

Children who have access to the Internet must be monitored at all times. There are several different things that children can be exposed to online (sometimes from simply misspelling a domain name).

Children can be exposed to:

  • Adult Content Websites (pornography)
  • Racism/Prejudice (hate crime, violence, etc.)
  • Drugs (paraphernalia, alternatives)
  • Gambling (other addictive online practices)
  • Alternative Lifestyle Choice Information (homosexuality, other religions)
  • Pedophiles (other ill-intentioned individuals as well)

Children who hear new words are likely to use the Internet to look them up. Search engines without the proper filters (and sometimes with the filter on) may display large amounts of risky and adult oriented material. For example, searching a generic female name in Google Images results in a large amount of pornographic material being displayed. Even websites that are designed for children, offer website membership, and allow members to interact with each other may be used by pedophiles and others who intend to hurt children.

Of course there is no set solution for keeping children safe online. It is important that parents teach children what is proper to view online, what is out of bounds, and what behavior is risky/dangerous. Children must be taught to never divulge personal information, especially their real names or contact information to anyone. They should understand that anyone delving into their personal information may be doing so with the intention of hurting them and that they should tell their parents as soon as this occurs.

A free tool that may help keep children safe while they use the Internet is K9 Web Protection, which is available at http://www.k9webprotection.com/. K9 Web Protection is like a watch dog for online practices. It is simple to use and has customizable features that can help children stay safe online. It blocks images and websites that are known to be inappropriate for child audiences. The only thing that the K9 Web Protection service does not do is teach children safe Internet practices, which is the parent/guardian’s responsibility. K9 Web Protection may even prevent adults from falling prey to malicious sites as well.

How to keep personal information safe on the Internet

It is really important to safeguard personal information online. Personal information can be used for a variety of things such as opening accounts with financial institutions and website services, which puts Internet users at risk for identity theft.

Identity theft often happens through means that users ignore because they seem authentic:

Email – Email advertising, offers, and notifications can be sent from anyone online and they may ask for personal information. The general rule of thumb is to never give out personal information over email to any organization no matter how authentic the service looks. If the email was sent from a company that the user has had a past relationship with, the user should contact the company directly via phone to verify authenticity.

Fake Websites – Many emails, websites, or malicious users link innocent people to websites that seem to be legitimate. These websites are designed to collect login or other personal information, which may be used for identity theft or compromising an account.

Scams – Scams are popping up throughout the Internet. These include pyramid schemes for easy money, claiming an inheritance from a relative overseas, and even a foreign lottery that users may or may not have entered. If the offer is too good to be true then it more than likely is and someone else is trying to profit from the Internet users’ gullibility.

It is so easy to give away personal information that many people do not realize that they have, especially on social networking websites such as Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter. The following is a list of personal information that is most commonly used for ill:

  • Full Real Name
  • Birthday
  • Birthplace
  • Current Address
  • Social Security
  • National Identification Number (If Outside the US)
  • Vehicle Registration or License Plate Number
  • Driver’s License Number
  • Handwriting samples
  • Credit/Debit/Charge Card Numbers
  • Bank Routing Numbers
  • Online Account IDs or Passwords

It is very important to only divulge such information when it is necessary so that it is not used to harm the user physically or financially.

Only make purchases online through highly trusted websites. Check websites directly through a trusted service such as the Better Business Bureau, which is available in the United States and Canada at www.bbb.org.

How to Spot Scams on the Internet

Scamming Internet users is a way of life for many people online. Scams come in a variety of forms that can cause financial harm to anyone who falls victim to them. Here is a list of common scams that most people are exposed to through email or other forms of online contact:

Online Dating – Many online dating websites are full of fake accounts. The owners of these accounts often contact other users pretending to be interested in them. Online dating sites charge a premium for their service and give many people who are willing to pay false hope.

Phishing – Contact that is designed to collect information for site logins and can come from a variety of sources that may even seem authentic.

Nigerian 419 Letter – Any email in a format that is designed to try and convince the recipient that they can embezzle money for a profit.

Post Forwarding or Reshipping – Emails asking to reship documents to another address. Usually involves cashing checks, taking a small commission from the funds (sometimes in excess of $5000), and creating a money order to resend to another person.

Winning Notifications – Notification of winning electronics, a lottery, or other types of prizes that require a deposit, shipping cost coverage, or anything else. The company will ask for a credit card or bank information before dispensing the prize but will charge large amounts later on.

Travel Vacation – Vacation offers to locations that seem cheap. They will ask for payment through an unconventional method (such as a wire transfer through a service that does not require an ID) and will send fake tickets.

Auction Fraud – Purchasing anything online from new auction websites can be very dangerous. Even popular auction sites like eBay, for example, are not completely immune to fraud. Be cautious when dealing with auction websites, especially if payment involves mailing funds, doing a wire transfer, etc. If something of high quality is being sold very cheaply, it may not be authentic.