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Internet Safety


 * It is very important to be aware of the dangers on the internet. There is identity theft, phishing, posing as someone else, scams, and much more.

How to Stay Safe: When you are on the internet, it is very important to obey safety rules. Staying safe online means:
 * not clicking on ads or pop-ups.
 * Don't give away ANY personal information, such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, addresses, bank accounts, real names, pictures, or phone numbers
 * Don't accept chat requests from someone you don't know.

Under the age of 5 Internet Safety: For kids 5 years and younger, internet safety is pretty simple. Internet safety for 5 and younger:
 * Always have a parent/guardian with you while on the internet.
 * Always use a cool and fun screen name if you have one. NEVER use your real name online.
 * Tell a trusted adult if there are messages or pictures that make you uncomfortable.
 * Don't click on pop-ups or ads.
 * DO NOT give out your name, address, school, age, or phone number.
 * Only share your passwords with your parents.

6-12 year old's Internet Safety Ways for 6-12 year old's to stay safe:
 * Don't tell anyone your real name online.
 * Don't give out any personal information (as mentioned above.)
 * Never open emails from people you don't know. They could contain viruses or inappropriate pictures.
 * Do not click on pop-ups or ads, such as the ones claiming you've won a free iPad or laptop.
 * NEVER agree to meet someone in person that you met online. You can never be sure who they really are.
 * Do not share your passwords. You and your parents should be the only people to know it.
 * Make sure you type the correct URL. You don't want to end up at the wrong website.
 * Always tell a trusted adult if anything online, such as pictures, make you uncomfortable

Internet Safety Rules for Teens:
 * Don't tell anyone online your real name.
 * Don't share passwords with anyone except your parents.
 * Double-check and make sure the URL is correct.
 * DO NOT give out ANY personal information.
 * Do not click on pop-ups or ads. They are generally scams.
 * Don't open anything you receive from someone you don't know.
 * Tell an adult if you receive inappropriate pictures.
 * Be careful about the chat requests you accept. You don't always know who you're talking to.
 * Don't believe everything you read or see online.
 * Be careful what you post. Once it's out there, you can never take it back.
 * If someone is constantly bothering you or harassing you, stop talking to them and tell an adult.
 * Never meet someone in person that you met on the internet without a parent/guardian with you.

Internet Safety for people in their 20s:
 * Do not give out personal information, such as social security numbers, or phone numbers.
 * Do not share passwords.
 * Do not click on pop-ups or ads, as these are usually scams.
 * If you have a Facebook, be careful what you post. Make sure not to post something you will later regret.
 * Do not send or receive any inappropriate pictures.
 * Don't open emails from people you don't know. These could be scams as well.
 * Don't agree to meet up with someone you met online.
 * Be aware of the ways that you could become a victim of identity theft.
 * Be cautious of buying things online and what information you have to give out to "pay for and receive" the item(s).

Internet Safety for Those in their 50s:
 * Be sure you know what website you are looking for, and what you need to find.
 * Do not click on pop-ups or ads.
 * Don't give out your passwords in person or online.
 * Do not give out ANY personal information on any website or anywhere online.
 * Make good passwords that cannot be easily figured out. Don't give anyone your password.
 * Don't open emails from people you don't know. They could be scams or contain viruses.
 * Don't give out personal information.
 * Do not accept any contract terms you don not fully understand or agree with.
 * Do not accept money from anyone

klcb Internet Safety for Those in Their 70s:
 * Set passwords that cannot easily be figured out, but make sure you can remember them. Do not give out your passwords to anyone.
 * Do not believe ads or people online that claim they can pay for your house or car bills.
 * Do not give anyone any of your personal information.
 * DO NOT click on ads or pop-ups, especially ones that claim you've won something. These are usually scams.
 * Don't open emails from strangers. They could contain bad pictures or viruses.
 * Do not give out your social security number or any other information that should be kept to yourself.
 * If you are buying things online, make sure you know how reliable the website is. Read some reviews to make sure its safe.

IDENTITY THEFT: Identity theft is simply when your identity is stolen. But there are different forms of identity theft. There are two main types. The first is account takeover. This happens when someone uses stolen personal information to gain access to that person's accounts. In this situation, large amounts of money are spent by the imposter. Sometimes, even addresses are changed by the thief. The second kind of identity theft is true name identity theft. This is when the thief uses personal information to open up new accounts in your name. These accounts could be credit card, cell phone, or checking accounts. -Identity theft is not very common for 5-12 year old's because the information that the thieves want, the kids don't know. -For teenagers, identity theft is not exactly the same as it is for adults or little kids. Teens don't always have their own credit card or cell phone accounts. They also don't always know their social security number. -Identity theft for adults is more common. If they click on an advertisement claiming they've won a free iPad or a free laptop, and submit their personal information, they could be the victim of identity theft. -Identity theft is a bigger problem for seniors. A good amount of them have computers, but aren't aware of how to use them correctly because they didn't grow up with the technology we have now. If they click on a pop-up, not knowing what it is, and enter their personal information, they could have their identity stolen.

PHISHING: What is phishing? -Phishing is when someone sends an email, pretending to be someone else, or pretending to be a big business. What these people want is for the person they're emailing to give up their personal information. How does this happen? -The way that criminals get people to believe that they are a real company, is by copying the real company's email, and only changing one or two characters that are not easily noticed. The email might say that the account will expire or be deleted if someone doesn't update the credit card information. The person reading the email will usually think that this is true, and they put in their personal information, while not knowing that they are giving private information to a stranger. This almost always results in identity theft. -A real life example of this was in 2003 to eBay users. The users received emails that they thought were from eBay, because the HTML codes were very similar. They had to go to a link and re-enter their credit card information, otherwise the "account" would be "cancelled" by "eBay." This was an example of phishing, and it scammed a large amount of people. How to prevent it: -If you or someone you know receives an email asking them to update an account, make sure that either the email is the real one. Never give out information if you aren't sure who might get it.

Scams: Scams are sneaky behavior that’s designed to move money from one pocket to another under false names or company names. These actions are often just greedy and dishonest. They are designed to trick you into give away money or personal information. Scams come in many different forms: by email, mail, internet, over the phone, or even face to face. Why do scams work? How to Prevent Them:
 * They promise you large amounts of money, a big house, iPads, laptops, or other big ticket items.
 * You are sucked in by the wonderful opportunities in front of you, and you can't resist.
 * All you have to do is "enter you phone number, address, credit card number, bank account info, and your social security number!" DO NOT fall for these types of scams. They will only get you into trouble.
 * Scammers are clever people. They will pretend to be real banks or big businesses, and try to get you to enter personal information. These people can actually get away with things like this.
 * Scammers can manipulate you into agreeing to "get" what you want. They can make their ads seems colorful and exciting, and attract your attention.
 * Don't be fooled by an ad that only wants SOME money. If you constantly give them money, they can be just as successful as if you had given them one large amount of money.
 * Don't click on pop ups or ads. Especially the ones claiming you've won a free big ticket item.
 * Don't give out personal information.
 * If you are going to submit personal information or donate or spend money, make sure you know exactly where you're putting it. Check the URLs and email addresses to make sure they are correct.

Email: Email can be very useful if it is used properly. But be careful to avoid emails from unknown people or industries. Here's how to use your email in a safe, secure way:
 * Only give your email to friends and family you truly know. A "friend you met online" is not a true friend. You don't know them for sure. Do not give them any information.
 * Unless you have a business or school email, don't use your real name. Use a fun name or a topic that you enjoy, such as soccergirl123. This email address does not tell your name or where you live, or even what team you play for. It basically says you enjoy soccer. Be generic.
 * If you receive emails from someone you don't know, or of the email has pictures or words that make you uncomfortable, tell a trusted adult.
 * Do not open attachments that aren't familiar to you.
 * Get into the habit of putting topics in the subject line. This will make it easier to tell when you're getting an email that could be a scam. Make them meaningful subjects.
 * Don't forward emails that say "pass this on to everyone you know!" These are usually scams and contain viruses.
 * Don't participate in petition emails. These don't work!

Passwords: Passwords are used for a reason, and that reason is to keep your stuff belonging to you.
 * Don't give out your passwords.
 * Make passwords that aren't easily thought of, but make sure you will be able to remember it.
 * It's a good idea to make your passwords at least 8 characters long, and include a number or two.
 * Don't set passwords to be birthdays, names, or phone numbers. These are too obvious.
 * Don't use the same passwords for everything, so that if someone finds one password out, they don't have access to all of your files.
 * Write down ALL of your passwords in a special notebook. If you forget a password, you can refer back to the book.
 * Try to rotate different passwords. This will make it even more difficult for someone to hack your accounts.

Bank Account Information: It is important to keep all your hard earned money safe from predators and criminals trying to steal it. Banks are one of the safest places to keep your money. In order to keep money and anything else you keep at the bank, it is important to:
 * Keep bank account information a secret. Only you should know this information.
 * Make sure to set your PIN (Personal Identity Number) safe. These are used to keep your money and information safe. If your PIN gets out, you could lose special information.
 * Keep your money at the safest banks. This will reduce the risk of account issues that could cost you time and money.
 * Be careful about depositing money via ATM.
 * Most banks do not send out emails asking for you to verify your PIN, passwords, or account numbers. Do not respond to these emails. Most often, they aren't from the bank.

Chat Rooms: Chat rooms are "virtual rooms" where people "chat" with one another over the internet. In a way, it is similar to texting, but often in chat rooms, you aren't 100% positive who you are talking to. On most chat rooms, anyone can join. There can be inappropriate material, bad language, etc. in these chat rooms. media type="youtube" key="xZHq4CQekTY?rel=0" height="315" width="420" IMing: IMing (instant messa ging) is fine if you are certain you know who you are talking to. But if you are IMing wit a stranger, that could lead to some issues.
 * Never give out ANY personal information while in a chat room. You don't always now who you're talking to, and who's reading your chats. If you put your phone number in a chat room, you never know who could call you or what they will do with that phone number. BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY. Keep personal information to yourself.
 * Don't say anything on a chat site that you wouldn't say in public.
 * DON'T EVER meet up with someone that you met in a chat room.
 * Don't tell anyone where you go to school, or where you like to hang out.
 * Choose a screen name that does not suggest whether you are a boy or a girl. But don't use your real name either.
 * If something someone says is creepy or rude, block them.
 * Just as in the chat rooms, don't give out any personal information when you are IMing. Anyone who gets that information could use it to find you, or pass it on to others you don't know.
 * Do not listen to anyone who tries to turn you against your friends, family, or teachers.
 * Never open, download, or accept links from people you don't know. These could be viruses or scams.
 * Change your IM password often to prevent hackers from getting into your account(s).
 * Avoid in-person meetings.
 * Use screen names that do not reveal true names, ages, or genders.
 * Don't add someone you don't know to your contacts.

Facebook and Social Networking Sites: Social Netw orking sites are websites where people from all over the world can communicate with each other. -The most popular social networking sites are Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter. Here are some tips to staying safe in Social Networking sites:
 * Set your privacy settings. You don't want complete strangers looking at your profile.
 * Limit how much information you put on your accounts. Accounts CAN get hacked, and if it does, you don't want the hacker to see all of your personal information.
 * Don't put your phone numbers or addresses on people's walls. If you put your number on someone's wall and they don't have their privacy settings set, anyone can access your phone number.
 * Don't say anything on social networking sites that you wouldn't feel comfortable saying in real life.
 * Be cautious of pictures you post on these sites. You never know who will see them.
 * Don't post anything that you will later regret. Once it's out there, you can never get it back.
 * Don't accept every friend request you get. Just because they requested you, doesn't mean that they actually know you.
 * If someone is constantly posting things or saying things that you don't like, it's OK to block them. Don't feel bad if you do.
 * Be sure to sign out of your account when you are finished. You don't want someone pretending to be you and posting bad things just because you didn't sign out.
 * Don't feel the need to post every little detail of your life. There aren't many people who are going to read every status update. Save your time, and don't mention every part of everything that's going on.

Harassment / Cyberbullying: media type="youtube" key="bdQBurXQOeQ?rel=0" height="315" width="420" align="left"
 * If you are being harassed by someone you don't know, tell an adult.
 * If someone is constantly asking you questions, stop talking to them. Block them, and changing your screen name might help prevent the person from finding you.
 * You must clearly tell the harasser to stop. If he/she does not, you must either tell an adult, or stay off the website or chat room that you were in.
 * If the person is constantly contacting you, and you have asked them to stop and they persist, it is a good idea to stop answering them.
 * If you are being harassed or cyberbullied, save everything. Save all your conversations, in case you might need them to prove that someone is bothering you constantly.
 * Cyberbullying and harassment are big issues. People have committed suicide because of the mean things said about them online.
 * If you are cyberbullying someone, it's best that you stop. It's best not to put someone's life in jeopardy.

Sexual predators:
 * Sexual Predators are generally male, and they follow kids around online. They may chat or friend request the child.
 * They ask the children personal questions, such as whether they are male or female, how old they are, where they go to school, what their phone number is, and where they live. The kids often do not know any better, and give away as much information as they know.
 * They like to know what the kids' hobbies are, what music they listen to, and other things that generally are not asked.
 * These people often try to bribe the kids into meeting them after school ,or at sports practices. They might use gifts or excuses to get the kids to meet up with them. An example would be: "Your mom is letting me pick you up after school today." or "You can come over my house today to play! I can pick you up if you need a ride."
 * They often pose as children in order to gain the child's trust. If the child thinks they are talking to someone their age, they will be more willing to meet up.
 * Children should watch out for people in chat rooms claiming to be little boys or girls. If child is asked to meet up in public with someone they met online, they should tell an adult before agreeing to meet up.

Sexting: Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages or pictures, generally through cell phones. This has become a big problem with people in their teen years and older. -Why is it a problem? -What to do about it:
 * The pictures and messages can be sent privately and can also be easily shared.
 * About 50% of girls are pressured to send the explicit pictures because of pressure from boys. Meanwhile, only about 15-20% of boys are pressured to send those pictures or messages.
 * Once it's out there, it can't be taken back. If someone sends a picture of them-self, many people could end up with that picture.
 * If you are pressured to send sexual pictures of yourself, think twice, and DON"T DO IT. You NEVER know who is getting these pictures, videos, or messages.
 * As a capital rule of internet safety, don't do it i you are going to later regret it. Once that picture, message, or video is out there, you can never take it back, and there is nothing you can do about it. So if you are considering it, think again. Think of all the people who could get that picture. What if your parents found out? What if your friends decide to stop talking to you? There are many consequences to sexting. Just don't do it.

Sources:

http://www.chaminade.org/MIS/WebSafety/30ways.htm http://www.atg.wa.gov/InternetSafety/SpendingSavingOnline.aspx http://verizonsafeguards.com/internet-safety-tips-for-seniors http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/P/phishing.html http://www.scamwatch.gov.au/content/item.phtml?itemId=726311&nodeId=7f65c8b35d1cdd55581030fe48cab19a& fn=2008%20Scams%20target%20you%20-%20A4%20fact%20sheet.pdf http://www.murraywilliams.com/computers/email_safety.html http://www.sensible-computer-help.com/password-safety.html https://www.bkbank.com/account_safety_tips.htm#safety http://www.internet-safety-solutions.com/instant-messaging-safety.html http://www.safekids.com/chat-room-safety/ http://www.turleylawfirm.com/library/10-facebook-safety-tips-how-to-protect-yourself.cfm http://www.haltabuse.org/help/respond.shtml http://www.microsoft.com/security/family-safety/predators.aspx

http://familyinternet.about.com/od/computingsafetyprivacy/a/sexting_what.htmmedia type="custom" key="10649280"