My ParenTime's Family Community: Tech Tip

Tech Tip

Website Nicknames

To protect your personal information, when a website asks you or your child to personalize the content on the site, use an online nickname instead of your actual name.

Wipe Hard Drive

Before you dispose of an old computer, remove any sensitive data that could be used by an identity thief. Use a program that wipes the hard drive clean or overwrites the data.

Phishing Warning

If you think you've been duped by an email "phishing" scam seeking your personal financial information, contact your financial institution immediately and change your password immediately.

Do Not Disclose

If you make friends through social networking or online gaming, remember that you may not know who they really are. Don't disclose your identity, address, birth date or other identifying information.

Check Firewall

Most computer operating systems come with a firewall to prevent hackers from accessing your computer when it's connected to the Internet. Make sure that your firewall is set up to protect your computer.

Laptop Backup

Back up your data before traveling with your laptop. If your computer is lost or compromised, you'll have a copy of your important documents.

No Replies to Spam

Never open spam emails or click on links inside -- including "unsubscribe" or "remove from list." Doing so allows spammers to harvest email addresses and send more unwanted email.

Automatic Log In

When using a public computer at a library or Internet café, avoid "automatic log in" to your instant messaging account. This makes it easy for the next person on the computer to log in to your IM account.

Scareware Alerts

Beware of seemingly legitimate pop-up windows that advertise security software. The "alerts" might be "scareware" that can infect your computer.

Kids and the Internet

Your children may be old enough to use the Internet, but those under 10 don't have the judgment skills to surf alone. Keep your Internet-connected computers in a visible place like the family room where you can supervise and monitor their Internet use.

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