Do-It-Yourself Ecommerce

Hackers, spammers and scammers have found that the easiest way into your computer is through your email.

The main way to prevent email worms or viruses from entering your computer is DON’T OPEN EMAIL ATTACHMENTS! You need an up-to-date antivirus program but also DON’T OPEN EMAIL ATTACHMENTS! Avoid using the Preview Pane in your Inbox and DON’T OPEN EMAIL ATTACHMENTS!

If you get a message saying there is a problem with your bank account or PayPal account, etc., don’t click on the link to the site and start typing in your personal information. It’s known as “Phishing”; trying to get your information by taking you to a fake site with the bad guys on the other end.

Don’t enter any personal account, password or credit card information on the web unless you have personally entered the address in your browser.

TIP: Never use a Debit card on the web (or to rent a scooter in a Mexican border town, for that matter). If someone steals your credit card information you can challenge the charge and are not liable for it. If you used a Debit card they can clean out your bank account.