Protect Yourself Against Social Network Scams

Social networks, such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter serve as highly useful communication tools for individuals these days. However, they have also become targets for hackers, as they are full of potential victims. Unfortunately, these threats are fairly new, so many have not begun to think about how to protect themselves. Last year there was an assault against Twitter. Plus, swindlers have been stealing Facebook accounts and using them to fast-talk strangers out of money.

Criminals can't get direct access to personal information stored on your computer because social networks run on different, distant computers called servers. Therefore, almost all attacks involve "social engineering" designed to trick you into relinquishing your password, installing a piece of dangerous software yourself, providing your credit card information, or other ways of putting yourself at risk through your own actions.

As a result, common sense and healthy skepticism are even more critical when using social networks. That said there are several ways to protect against the new social networking scams.

Make sure to run the correct browser software and that you have the most current version of your operating system. For instance, run the security package that is included if you use Windows. Also, use modern browsers such as Firefox, Internet Explorer, and or Chrome. These newer versions have some built-in protections.

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Save Yourself from These Scams

Think you couldn't fall for a scam? Well, even when pennies are tight, a new study says 1.3 million people have fallen for check scams and most of them have been taken for $3,000 or more! To protect yourself, peruse this list of the most prominent scams and keep your money safe.

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Save Yourself from These Scams

The New "Oprah" Scam
No, Oprah would not ask you for your credit card information via email, so if you get a message saying you've been selected for some special episode and asked to send along your personal data, don't fall for it. The FBI just issued a warning to consumers about this new scam that uses Oprah's popularity to try to separate you from your money, first by thinking you're buying a plane ticket to her how in Chicago.

Find out how you can complain if you get this email by checking Mitch Lipka's latest Buyer Beware column.

Save Yourself from These Scams

"Spear Phishing"
This is not your ordinary stab-in-dark phishing scam, but such an extra-dangerous attempt to bilk you from your money that the FBI just issued a warning to consumers.

This is how the scam works: Rather than use a massive email blast, spear phishing attacks choose smaller, selected groups that share something in common. That could be anything from a workplace, to a bank to a website everyone purchased from.

Find out how to protect yourself.

Save Yourself from These Scams

Mystery Shopper or Processor
Work from home scams have been around for a long, long time, but thanks to a lousy economy they have become a growth market for frauds.

Many people have been duped by mystery shopping offers, some even combining the lure of getting paid for shopping (after paying a hefty fee for training) and the "overpayment" scam (see the next slide...).

Scammers might also sell you on the idea you could make money processing rebates or do billing. To learn how to enter this lucrative field you are sold a kit and most likely will get hit with subsequent monthly charges. The only ones making money on these deal are the crooks.

Save Yourself from These Scams

Getting Paid Too Much
This scam is enjoying a resurgence that folks using classified ads like Craigslist have been seeing. Someone answers your ad and offers to pay way too much for a service that is offered. Sometimes they say it is to pay their mover, who won't accept their check from a foreign bank. Often the person on the other end claims to be from another country. They tell you to keep what you're due and then refund them the rest. Just wait ... their check bounces and you're left high and dry.

Save Yourself from These Scams

The Check Isn't Real
The check comes in the mail. It's probably for a few thousand dollars. It's supposed to cover the fees you are to receive for a grant you've supposedly just been awarded, the lottery you've won or some other reward you never sought. Cash their check and then send that amount back to them (makes sense, right?) then you'll get a much fatter check. Problem is their check is bad, but you'll not likely find that out for a week or more -- after your money is long gone.

Save Yourself from These Scams

Your Auto Warranty Is Expiring -- Or Is It?
The automated call comes in on your cell phone or home phone. You're told your auto warranty is about to expire and if you don't act right away to keep it current you could lose coverage. Actually, what's happening is you're being sold an extended warranty. For some, the calls are ludicrous; they don't have cars. But for others they can be scary and, at a minimum, annoying and uses up minutes and battery time on your cell phone. The Better Business Bureau reports a huge spike in the number of complaints against those selling auto warranties.

Save Yourself from These Scams

The Nigerian Letter
This is one of the classic scams that just keeps coming back for more. It presents itself in new and different forms -- recently using a bogus note from the director of the FBI himself as the come-on. The Nigerian letter, also known as 419 fraud for the section of Nigerian law it violates, involves an e-mail (it really started as a letter) that seeks your help to stash some money for a foreign official in a jam. Your kindness in hanging onto their millions is supposed to be repaid by giving you a percentage. Instead, you end up sending your money to them.

Save Yourself from These Scams

Stimulus for Crooks
Whether it's letters supposedly from the Small Business Administration, bogus e-mails from the Internal Revenue Service or promises of "free" advice to get government grants, frauds are exploiting the idea that the federal government is distributing economic stimulus money. These phony notes solicit personal information intended to give the bad guys access to your credit or worse -- your cash. Remember, if something that appears to be from the government asks you for all sorts of personal information it's more likely from a crook trying to stimulate his or her own bank account.

Save Yourself from These Scams

What a Car Deal
It starts out with an ad for a car, most recently featuring people claiming they are about to be deployed with the military. The car is priced way below market value because they have to sell it quickly. You contact the seller and are told that you have to pay to an escrow service that they chose. The price is so good you don't want to lose out, so you agree to place a deposit or even pay the full amount to the "escrow service." It turns out it's not an escrow service and you don't end up with a car.

Save Yourself from These Scams

Carefully judge each and every message you receive. In particular, beware of any messages that suggest you click off the site to perform an action such as viewing a photo or video. If you receive a cryptic note from someone that looks suspicious, send a note to that person to ask about the message in further detail. This way you can ensure the legitimacy of the message.

Be careful when clicking selections because social sites are full of short URLs that may forward you to a page with a longer address, in which case you can never be certain where these links will lead you. Be sure to pay attention when clicking onto other sites that request your Facebook or Twitter password once you leave the social network, even if the site looks exactly the same as the previously visited social network. If you have left the authentic Facebook or Twitter URL (Web address), do not enter your personal information.

It is essential that you protect your passwords because hackers can break into your account and launch attacks on your family and friends. It is good to choose cryptic passwords with numbers, punctuation marks and random characters. It is also good to change your password from time to time. However, you should change your password immediately if there is evidence that someone may have hacked into your account.

Most importantly, be very cautious when sharing personal information, especially in status updates. For instance, notifying your social network of your whereabouts allows people to know when you will not be home, which could make you susceptible to burglaries.

None of this information was shared to deter you from using social networks, but rather to ensure that you are very smart about the way you use these tools and the information you communicate through them.

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