For Novices of Any Age



 

Introduction



Millions of individuals worldwide use the Internet every day to learn, research, shop, buy, bank, invest, share photos, play games, download movies and music, connect with friends, meet new people, and engage in a host of other activities. Though cyberspace offers numerous benefits, opportunities, and conveniences, it is also important to be aware of many new safety challenges emerging daily.



 

You need to keep a few safeguards in mind whenever you go online. In addition to installing robust security software from a trusted company to defend your family against known risks, you should follow some basic Internet safety rules and use good old-fashioned, real-world common sense. You need an Internet safety plan. No matter what your age or internet experience, it’s time to keep current about cyber safety. You should be aware that even if you do not have a computer at home, PCs are available almost everywhere — at schools, libraries, friends’ homes, and even in church basements. It’s important for everyone to know the basics about protecting themselves in cyberspace.



 

The ABCs of Online Safety:



 

A



Act Responsibly Online



 

We recommend the following:



 

• Never log in with user names that reveal true identity or that are provocative
• Never reveal your passwords
• Never reveal phone numbers or addresses
• Never post information that reveals your identity
• Never post photos that may reveal your identity (for example: city or club names on shirts)
• Never open attachments from strangers

B



Be Security Conscious



Make sure you have robust security software that protects your computer against viruses, hackers, and spyware. This software should be updated frequently, as new threats are emerging daily. Ideally, security that updates automatically — like the Verizon Internet Security Suite Powered by McAfee set-it-and-forget-it software — is the best choice.



 

If you already have security software, open it to verify that your computer is protected by the following three anti-virus, anti-spyware, and a firewall. These core protections should be augmented by safe search software like McAfee SiteAdvisor^®(available in the free tools section on http://www.verizonsafeguards.com), anti-phishing protection and safety ratings. It is ideal to have a suite of protections that includes identity theft prevention tools.



 

C



Create Strong Passwords



To create passwords that are difficult to crack, start by using at least 8 characters and then use a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Passwords should be changed periodically to reduce the likelihood of a particular password being compromised over time.



 

Techniques for strong passwords:



 

• Use a vanity license plate: “GR8way2B”
• Use several small words with punctuation marks: “betty,boop$car”
• Put punctuation in the middle of a word: “Roos%velt”
• Use an unusual way of contracting a word: “ppcrnbll”
• Use the first letter of each word in a phrase, with a random number: “hard to crack this password” = “htc5tp”
• Don’t share your passwords!

Stay Current



The more you know, the safer you will be. Check out Verizon’s Security and Safety Center for easy-to-read educational material on computer and Internet security: http://www.verizonsafeguards.com.

Texting is just another great way for all of us to keep in touch with one another—but keep our roads safe and save texting for when you arrive. We’re sure that whoever you’re thinking about texting while behind the wheel would much rather wait and see you in one piece.

While texting and driving is 100% out, modern devices do have a lot of other capabilities. So if you do choose to use your phone in the car, here are some responsible driving tips that can help keep you and your family safe.

Before you leave the curb:

• If you’re taking advantage of any navigation service, including VZ Navigator, program the address into your phone before you leave the curb, either on the handset or online. Then your work is done–you’ll only need to listen to the directions.
• Program important and frequently dialed numbers into your phone to take advantage of speed dialing and voice dialing features on your phone.
• Set up your playlist on your V CAST Music-enabled device, or any music player, before you get into the car.
• Turn your phone to speakerphone or put on your headset. Many phones have speakerphone capability.

While Driving:

• Never take notes or write down phone numbers while driving. If necessary, pull off the road to a safe spot or leave yourself a message on your voicemail or voice-memo-capable handset.
• Never view or send text or multi-media messages or video downloads while driving.

For many of us, online shopping has become a regular part of our lives, mainly because it is so convenient. But while online shopping provides you with a high level of convenience, it also may provide cybercriminals with access to your information through various online scams.

The good news is that with a little bit of awareness and education, you can easily enjoy the convenience of shopping online.

Tips for Safe Online Shopping

Online shopping can be a fun, convenient, and safe activity if you take a few a few steps to protect yourself. Follow these tips to help you have the best online shopping experience possible.

After Making a Purchase

• Keep a paper trail—Keep a copy of your order number
and receipt, and note which credit card you used. When
you receive your credit card statement, review it to make
sure that the charge placed on your card is correct and
that there are no extra fees or charges.

• Inspect your purchase as soon as you receive it—
Make sure that the product you received is correct and is
not damaged. If you have to return or exchange an item,
do it quickly so you do not exceed any return restrictions

For many of us, online shopping has become a regular part of our lives, mainly because it is so convenient. But while online shopping provides you with a high level of convenience, it also may provide cybercriminals with access to your information through various online scams.

The good news is that with a little bit of awareness and education, you can easily enjoy the convenience of shopping online.

Tips for Safe Online Shopping

Online shopping can be a fun, convenient, and safe activity if you take a few a few steps to protect yourself. Follow these tips to help you have the best online shopping experience possible.

When Making a Purchase

• Don’t shop at a site if you’re not comfortable—If you feel that the site may not be secure, you’re probably right.

• Never click on links from spam emails to make purchases—Don’t click on a link in an email from someone you don’t know, or buy on a site advertised in a spam email.

• Check the web address to make sure you are on the correct website—Once you arrive at a site, you need to make sure that it is legitimate and not a fake site.

• Check that the site is secure—Look for a security seal, such as the McAfee® SECURE™ trustmark, indicating that the site has been scanned and verified as secure by a trusted third party. This security seal indicates that the site will help protect you from identity theft, credit card fraud, spam, and other malicious threats. In addition, check to see if the site uses encryption—or scrambling—when transmitting information over the Internet by looking for a lock symbol on the page and checking to make sure that the web address starts with https:// instead of http://, which indicates that the transaction is secure.Use only a secure connection when you place your order.

• Use a credit card for payment—Credit cards on the whole offer better protection against fraud than debit cards.

• Do not use a public computer to shop online—If you are using a public computer, strangers may be able to access your browsing history and even your login information. To protect yourself, do all of your online shopping from your secure home computer.

• Use only a secure connection when you place your order.—Never shop using an unsecured wireless network because hackers can access your payment information if the network is not protected. You also want to make sure that your computer is protected with comprehensive and up-to-date security software such as Verizon Internet Security Suite Powered by McAfee, which will safeguard you from viruses, spyware, and other unknown online threats.

• Use strong passwords—Choose passwords that are difficult to guess and that are at least ten characters long consisting of a combination of numbers, letters, and symbols.

For many of us, online shopping has become a regular part of our lives, mainly because it is so convenient. But while online shopping provides you with a high level of convenience, it also may provide cyber-criminals with access to your information through various online scams.

The good news is that with a little bit of awareness and education, you can easily enjoy the convenience of shopping online.

Tips for Safe Online Shopping

Online shopping can be a fun, convenient, and safe activity if you take a few a few steps to protect yourself. Follow these tips to help you have the best online shopping experience possible.

Before You Buy

• Comparison shop—Use a search engine to look for the best deals, but be wary of deals that sound too good to be true.

• Do a background check on the online retailer—Make sure that the e-tailer lists a physical address and phone number. Call the company’s phone number to see if there is a representative you can speak to.

• Read customer reviews—Another important step in investigating an online merchant is to do a search for
customer reviews. If there are multiple complaints about the company, proceed with caution.

• Know the shipping policies—Look into shipping and handling fees and make sure they seem reasonable to you. You want to make sure that you understand all your shipping options and how they will affect your total cost.

• Know your options when it comes to returns and exchanges—Since it is difficult to determine things like
quality and fit when shopping online, it is important to check out the merchant’s return and exchange policies.

• Find out when your purchase will be delivered— Since you may need your purchase by a specific date, you should investigate the time it will take for delivery.

• Review the company’s privacy policy—Look to see how the merchant uses your personal information and
check to make sure that it will not be shared with third parties.

Verizon commissioned a booklet entitled Internet Safety Tips For Seniors FOR DUMMIES by Linda Criddle of the Safe Internet Alliance and Nancy C. Muir from iLookBothWays to help seniors have a safe, fun and productive time online.

Mike McKeehan has been sharing excerpts of the Internet Safety Tips booklet at his blog on online safety issues as part of his work on Internet and technology public policy:

“If a site tells you to change your browser settings for a “better experience” – ignore it and use a different web site.”

“Think twice before you open attachments or click links in e-mail.”

On Friday July, 10, 2009 as part of Verizon’s New Jersey Partnership for Online Safety “Forum on Internet Safety for Seniors,” the booklet was shared with the public.

Thomas Dailey, vice president and deputy general counsel for Verizon, was one of the Verizon officials who gave a presentation on how seniors can safely take advantage of all the benefits of broadband and the Internet. He highlighted the online risks facing seniors today, and the ways to help avoid falling victim to Internet scams and other dangers.

“The Internet is a fantastic place to learn, communicate, meet people, shop, bank, play and do so much more,” said Daily. “But as wonderful as the Internet is, the fact is that on occasion people have their identities stolen, fall victim to fraud, or place themselves or their families at risk — almost always through inadvertence or lack of appreciation of the danger’s warning signs. The good news is that by following a few simple, common-sense rules, you can greatly reduce the risk of bad things happening.”

Another good resource for Seniors’ Internet Safety is the FBI Seniors Fraud site.

They write that Seniors should consider the following:

* Do not respond to unsolicited advertisements.

* Be suspicious of anyone claiming that you can own a home with no down payment.

* Do not sign anything that you do not fully understand.

* Do not accept payment from individuals for a home you did not purchase.

* Seek out your own reverse mortgage counselor.

The term “computer virus” is sometimes used as a catch-all phrase to include all types of malware. Malware includes computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, most rootkits, spyware, dishonest adware, crimeware, and other malicious and unwanted software, including true viruses. Viruses are sometimes confused with computer worms and Trojan horses, which are technically different. A worm can exploit security vulnerabilities to spread itself to other computers without needing to be transferred as part of a host, and a Trojan horse is a program that appears harmless but has a hidden agenda. Worms and Trojans, like viruses, may cause harm to either a computer system’s hosted data, functional performance, or networking throughput, when they are executed. Some viruses and other malware have symptoms noticeable to the computer user, but many are surreptitious.