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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Biggest Security Threat: Facebook & You

Forget those phishing emails that attempt to get your credit card or bank sign-in information. When crooks want to know how to get into your bank account, they post a message on Facebook. These messages appear so innocuous and so appropriate in the Facebook setting that you are likely to not only get conned, but pass on the scam.

Facebook is the new frontier for fraud, says Tom Clare, head of product marketing at Blue Coat, an Internet security company that does annual reports on web threats. In just this past year social networks have soared to 4th from 17th most treacherous web terrain — behind porn and software-sharing sites, which you probably know to avoid.

What makes Facebook so treacherous? Us.
It starts with the fact that we are inundated with requests to set up passwords to get into our work computers, our online bank accounts, Facebook and every other web-based subscription. So what do we do? We use the same password.

Crooks understand that most users use the same password for everything,” says Clare. “If they can get your user credentials for your Facebook account, there’s a good chance that they have the password for your bank account.”

If you are smart enough to have separate passwords for Facebook and your financial accounts, crooks get at you through a variety phishing attempts that you might think are Facebook games and widgets. But look closely and you’ll realize that they deliver answers to all of your bank’s security questions–and possibly clues to your passwords — right into the hands of the crooks.

Think it couldn’t happen to you? Let’s see if you recognize any of these 5 recent Facebook messages that jeopardize your security. All of these came from my Facebook friends in just the past few weeks:

1. Who knows you best?
The message reads: Can you do this? My middle name __________, my age ___, my favorite soda _______, my birthday ___/___/___, whose the love of my life ______ , my best friend _____, my favorite color ______, my eye color _______, my hair color ______ my favorite food ________ and my mom’s name __________. Put this as your status and see who knows you best. ♥
How many of these are the same facts your bank asks to verify your identity? Put this as your status and everybody — including all the people who want to hijack your bank account and credit cards — will know you well enough to make a viable attempt.

2. Your friend [Name here] just answered a question about you!
Was it possible that an old friend answered a question about me that I needed to “unlock”? Absolutely. But when you click on the link, the next screen should give you pause: 21 Questions is requesting permission to…(a) access your name, profile picture, gender, networks, user ID, friends and any other information shared with everyone…(b) send you email…(c) post to your wall…and…(d) access your data any time…regardless of whether or not you’re using their application.
Can you take that access back — ever? It sure doesn’t look like it. There’s no reference to how you can stop them from future access to your data in their “terms and conditions.”  Worse, it appears that to “unlock” the answer in your friend’s post, you need to answer a bunch of questions about your other friends and violate their privacy too. I didn’t give 21 Questions access to my information, but the roughly 850 people who joined “People Who Hate 21 Questions on Facebook” apparently have and can give you insight into just how pernicious this program can be.

3. LOL. Look at the video I found of you!
This is the most dangerous of all the spam messages and it comes in a variety of forms, says Clare. It’s actually a bid to “surreptitiously” install malware on your computer. This malware can track your computer keystrokes and record your sign-in and password information with all of your online accounts.

How does it work? When you click on the link, it says that you need to upgrade your video player to see the clip. If you hit the “upgrade” button, it opens your computer to the crooks, who ship in their software. You may be completely unaware of it until you start seeing strange charges hit your credit cards or bank account. Up-to-date security software should stop the download. If you don’t have that, watch out.

Better yet, if you really think some friend is sending you a video clip, double-check with the friend to be sure before you click on the link. When I messaged my high-school classmate to ask if she’d really sent this, she was horrified. Her Facebook account had been hijacked and anyone who clicked through was likely to have their account hijacked too. That’s how this virus spreads virally.

4. We’re stuck!
It started out as an email scam, but now the “We’re stuck in [Europe/Asia/Canada] and need money” scam has moved to instant messages on Facebook, where it can be more effective. Most people have learned not to react to the email, but instant messages help crooks by forcing you to react emotionally — They’re right there. They need help, now. A friend got one of these messages last week from the parents of a close friend. Her reaction was the perfect way to deal with it: She immediately called her friend and said “Have you talked to your parents lately?” The response: “Yeah. They’re right here.”

Facebook has launched a security system to combat account hijacking that allows crooks to send messages and posts through your account. You can get updates on what they’re doing at Facebook’s security page, where they’ve also got a nice little security quiz that’s definitely worth taking.

5. Share this story.
I pay an astounding amount of money to subscribe to the New York Timesbecause they’re one of the few papers that invests enough money in its staff to support incredibly robust investigative reporting. As someone who believes that democracy relies on that type of journalism, I’m willing to shell out more than $700 a year for a daily subscription.  But I won’t share their stories on Facebook.

Why? When I try, up pops the ubiquitous Facebook “Request for Permission” that says they want my name, gender, email, friends, likes, music, movies, books, quotes, interests….and the list goes on. To their credit, the New York Times privacy policy is prominently posted and clear.  But they want more privacy than I’m willing to give up. Also to their credit, they allow you to rescind access later. But I’m not convinced that privacy once given up can ever be regained.

To quote Nancy Reagan, when someone asks “permission” to violate your privacy: “Just say no.”

Caregiver Scams Target Most Vulnerable Victims

Targeting vulnerable people is a common source of crime, and caregiver scams are among the most despicable. Those least able to protect themselves are at the mercy of people designated to take care of them but sometimes the caregivers are more concerned about looking after their own interests. Tricksters and Scammers also use the lure of caregiver employment to fool job hunters into parting with their money. This includes an oft-used version of the Nigerian scam in which the victim ends up wiring cash to the scammer. Caregiver scams take many forms but they mostly fall under four main types:

1. Financial scams

This is probably the most common type of caregiver scam and it happens both in residential or convalescence facilities and in private home-based care. In its mildest form -- a caregiver spins a story about being unable to afford a special event celebration or meet a sudden and unexpected bill. They persist with this tale of woe until the victim finally offers to cover the cost. Of course, this may be just the start. Once a scammer realizes there's an easy route to getting cash, they're likely to repeat the trick. Often, other members of the family are unaware of this trickery. Victims, especially the elderly, are remarkably secretive about this type of behavior. From here, I move on to straightforward theft, when caregivers simply steal money and valuables from the person in their charge. 
 
REMEMBER: This crime also is not always easy to detect
 
Sometimes victims are unaware of the theft. In other cases they may frequently say they've been robbed to the point where family members don't know what to believe. In their worst form, financial-type caregiver scams involve a wholesale theft of the victim's entire fortune. It's not uncommon for this to involve a bogus romance and has even been known to go as far as marriage, with the victim bequeathing their estate to the new spouse. Actions: As I've suggested, these crimes mostly involve elderly victims. If you're in this category, beware! Don't give money to a caregiver without consulting your family, no matter how plausible their need may seem. Family members should also be switched-on to the risk of this crime, monitoring an elderly relative's spending and, if necessary, talking to an attorney to take legal powers to control it.

2. Unqualified Caregivers

It's a fact that, in some circumstances, you don't need a formal qualification to take care of somebody else. Indeed, many of us find ourselves thrust into the role of caregiver for a family member, with little or no experience with what we are supposed to do. And, of course, a common form of care giving is babysitting, which often involves a neighbor or relative doing the job. There are professional qualifications for caregivers, and people who set themselves up in this kind of business should be both qualified and licensed with the county and/or state. Either way, you need to satisfy yourself as to the competence of any individual or care home you're thinking of using to meet any legal requirements associated with the care need and their ability to do the job. 
 
Researching this article, I found a very helpful commercially-run site, CaregiverNeeded.com - Elderly Home Care Options, that lists the sort of questions you should ask a would-be caregiver. Be aware that this is an organization that provides carer recruitment services and I are not suggesting you either use or don't use them. But the questions they provide are very useful. You should always ask for references from any caregiver individual or organizations you're considering. Homes should be licensed and insured and you should check their record with your state licensing board.

3. Abusive Caregivers

Well, maybe this doesn't really qualify as a caregiver scam but ill-treatment of vulnerable people -- the elderly, the very young, and those with mental disabilities -- is a form of a deception. When you place someone with a caregiver, it's reasonable to assume they're doing just that -- giving care. But that often calls for two important elements that aren't on the formal qualifications list -- compassion and patience. Caregivers who lack these may resort to physical abuse, which could range from a slap to some form of confinement, like being locked in a room, tied to a chair or otherwise humiliated. 
 
Action: Check out references before using a particular provider. Don't just take a written reference as evidence. Speak to past clients. Look out for physical signs of injury or tell-tale behaviors that suggest distress. Request or conduct a thorough investigation if you're told a person has been injured through an accident. Make a habit of dropping by unexpectedly to visit the individual.

4. Bogus Jobs and Nanny Scams

If you are a caregiver or nanny, look out for the Ill-known scam in which a crook advertises online or even emails you about full-time employment as a nanny (usually abroad) or about looking after a son or daughter who is going to be visiting your locale. This may be a prelude to a Nigerian advance fee scam in which you receive a check to pay upfront for your services, plus some extra that you're asked to wire to a third party to cover some other aspect, like tuition fees, for the youngster. 
 
The check, of course, is bogus and the money you wire goes straight into the scammer's pocket. In other cases, you may be asked to simply wire money to pay for your airfare or lodging, or even to provide credit card details for some purpose. Three giveaways for these types of caregiver scams are: poor spelling and grammar in the correspondence, a fantastically high salary and a seeming willingness to employ you without checking your credentials. To repeat my regular warning: Never wire money to someone you don't know. 
 
Learn more about nanny scams at Scam Alert! Job Employment Fraud Targeting Nanny Candidates. This is a commercially-operated site but it does have a comprehensive list of scammers' email addresses and some of the phony lines they use. Looking after vulnerable people is a big responsibility and I have nothing but admiration and gratitude for those who do it properly. That makes it all the sadder that a small but significant number choose instead to perpetrate caregiver scams, inflicting financial and emotional suffering on everyone involved. 
 
That's all for today  - Birdy

The Warning Signs - SCAMS

Agency or dating site

Her Agency or dating site with her profile includes other scammers and has a bad reputation according to the reviews of other users.

Her profile

She contacts you first on a dating service.
Her profile states that a man's age, race or income doesn't matter to her.
There is a 20+ year age-difference. Chances of being scammed only increase with the age difference.
She always asks you to contact her via her private e-mail address.
She changes her e-mail address during correspondence.
Scammer talks a lot about honesty.

Home country

Her profile says she is from the USA, UK or any other country, while in her letter she says she is from Russia, Nigeria etc.

Her photos

She is too beautiful to be true.
Most scammers use photos of professional models/celebrities or photos of beautiful women they have stolen from the Net.
You receive a photo of a potential date and the photo doesn't match up (e.g. the photo looks like it is from a magazine or the description the person has given of themselves doesn't match the photo).
She sends photos with sexual content.

Spam letter

She contacts you out of the blue on your private e-mail address and you have no idea where she got your e-mail address from.

Her letters

Her letters do not sound like replies to yours, but instead seem generic.
The letter is poorly written, vague or repeats itself.
She sends pre-written letters - the same that known scammers have written before.

Your name

She addresses you by the wrong name (or the letter is not written to you at all). Your name appears only once at the beginning of the letter.

She avoids questions

She never answers your questions.
She avoids direct questions about her personal life, where she lives, home address, phone number, place of employment.

She falls "in love" with you after only a few letters/emails

Even if you are a great guy, it's too fast. Until you've met in person and spent time together, any claims of love should be treated as extremely suspect. Even if she seems genuine about it, you should seriously consider moving on to a more rational, level-headed person who wants to take the time to get to know someone really well before making any type of commitment.

Money problems

She is having money problems (lost her salary, money stolen, to pay the rent or repairs, to pay hotel bill, to buy a return ticket home from another city/country, is arrested for drunken driving etc.) and needs your urgent help. Often a scammer wants to borrow money to solve these problems, promising to return it to you soon. But this is just one variant of the scam.

She/her mother/grandmother/son/daughter is ill/recovering after an accident and/or needs an operation

You might see her asking for money to help her sick mother or child and she can turn only to you for help as she knows you love each other and are meant to be together soon. It's not appropriate at all in any culture to ask a stranger you've never met to help you.

She wants to study English (or your native language)

Unless you've met in person and things are serious, you have no reason to be paying for her to study foreign languages.

Translation

Scammer claims that her English is not so good and needs you to pay for translation services.

Correspondence expenses

She wishes to correspond with you but is poor and needs you to send her money to pay for email services.

She ask you to pay for her Internet access

She might ask for money to pay for the Internet access she uses in an Internet-cafe.

She offers to come visit you

She wants to come visit you but needs money for a visa, airline ticket, insurance, travel-pass, medical reports etc.

She needs money to secure your lodging for a visit

For your meeting with her in her city she might want to arrange everything, asking you to send money so she can have lodging and transportation taken care of before you arrive.

She needs money for "this or that"

Scammers can be quite creative. She needs money for a web cam to communicate with you in video chat, or a camera to take new photos for you, maybe a laptop –so she can write to you at any time etc.

Fake verification site

Scammer asks you to visit some site to verify that you are a real person. At this site, you will be asked to provide personal information - address, phone number, documents’ numbers, bank account details etc.

Money transfer, gold, diamonds, money orders

Father died, left her money but she needs a secure account to put it in and offers 50% to use yours.
She has gold or diamonds but you have to pay all the taxes and fees to bring it to your country.
She may tell you that her employer pays her with money orders, and she can't cash them. She will send you the money orders and ask you to deposit them into your bank account and then wire the money to her via Western Union.

Lives in one country but at the moment is in another

Scammer claims to be from the USA, for example, but is in Africa on business, working for UNICEF or any other organization, visiting parents/friends/relatives etc.

If you do not send money

Letters become more desperate, persistent or direct if you do not send money straightaway. You don't love her and were only playing her and now she is heartbroken and can't trust men again because you are all the same.



Remember Scammers need only one small piece of your private information to cause you grief for years to come. Don't fall for it, trust your instincts, if it's too good to be true, it's probably a scam! -Birdy

Temptation And The Opportunity to Commit Crime


Legal doctrine makes a clear distinction between crimes that are “premeditated” and those that happen without significant forethought or planning. In general terms, premeditated crimes (e.g., murder, bank robbery, etc.) are typically:
  • More serious and destructive in nature
  • Receive more significant punishments
  • Occur much less frequently than those that are not as thoroughly planned
Many police officers observe this same distinction in the behavior of many criminals, particularly those who commit the crimes of theft and burglary. In fact, it is very often true that many crimes of theft and burglary occur because the “potential” criminal is presented with the temptation and opportunity to commit a criminal act. Therefore, if everyone can remove the temptation and the opportunity, there is a high probability that people can eliminate or drastically reduce the possibility of the crime being committed.
All year long, there are significant numbers of thefts from parked automobiles and open / unsecured garages. These crimes are often motivated by the temptation of seeing objects of value in plain view and the opportunity to take the objects with relatively low risk of being seen and/or apprehended.
What You Can Do
I suggest that you take the following action(s) to reduce your chance of being a victim of an opportunistic thief:
  • Don’t leave objects of value in plain view. Consider covering open windows in garages. Place valuables in car trunk before you reach your destination (thieves may be watching).
  • Lock car doors when you are away. Close garage doors and lock them.
  • Provide extra security for particularly vulnerable targets (e.g., bicycles, power tools, etc.) inside the garage.
  • Alert police to suspicious people loitering in alleys, near cars or garages.
  • Record serial numbers of purchased items to aid in their recovery, in the event that they are stolen.
Remember, don’t do anything to make it easier for you to be victimized. Don’t provide a thief with either temptation or opportunity, and remember that by eliminating the potential of crime you have effectively eliminated your potential of becoming a victim of crime.


-Birdy



Sunday, March 17, 2013

Stop the Violence in Your Community

It’s easy to say you’re against violence. But actively working to make the peace in your community is a little more difficult. It means you understand what violence is. And you know it when you see it.
October is Violence Prevention Month. Did you know? Did you read anything about it and did you do anything? What can we as concerned citizens, block club leaders and others do to stop violence? 
 
One thing is to be informed, find out what is out there, get involved. A first step would be to educate yourselves.
Make the decision to:
  • identify and raise consciousness of violence in all its forms;
  • challenge the societal norm that violence is a normal part of life;
  • help people own both the problem and the solutions, shifting the focus of action from the streets to the home and community;
  • influence people to choose specific actions and behaviors that work and are positive, healthy and peaceful;
  • encourage individuals to reduce violence; and;
  • create a culture of peace, hope and trust by living this way to teach by example.
Get educated, get informed, get involved!


Checklist for Violence Prevention

Do my family and I...

  • Understand the dangers of weapons, especially firearms, and how to prevent accidents?
  • Talk about the costs—personal and financial—of violence?
  • Think carefully about the kinds of entertainment we watch and hear?
  • Know and practice ways to settle disputes without violence?
  • Understand and practice basic self-protection strategies?

Do my neighbors and I...

  • Know each other reasonably well?
  • Work together to make our neighborhoods safe for children?
  • Agree on how and when to step in to prevent childrens’ quarrels from becoming violent?
  • Discuss how we feel about weapons, including firearms, and what rules and standards we agree on?
  • Help each other by joining and taking an active role in Block Clubs and Neighborhood Watch?
  • Know that there are positive ways for our children to spend their time and energy after school?
  • Identify, discuss, and solve (or get help to solve) troubling conditions in our area?
  • Work with police, school officials, civic groups, and others to address larger issues for the community?

Does my community...

  • Have and enforce laws and regulations for secure weapons storage and against weapons violence?
  • Provide safe ways for residents to dispose of unwanted weapons?
  • Actively provide resources and know-how to help residents learn how to solve problems without violence?
  • Provide mentoring and other outreach services to troubled youth and families?
  • Enlist young people in addressing violence problems?
  • Coordinate community groups to develop comprehensive anti-violence strategies and plans?
  • Offer an attractive array of both family-oriented and youth-focused events?
  • Have clear standards that reject violence as a presence in the community?

Add you own reminders...

From: Making Children, Families and Communities Safer from Violence, National Crime Prevention Council [http://ncpc.org/]





Safety Tips For Children

Safety on the Streets: The Stranger Danger Theory
A stranger is someone we have never seen, or it may be someone we see every day but do not know. For example, we may see the ice cream truck in our neighborhood every day, but we don't really know the driver. Therefore, that person should be considered a stranger.
Remember, strangers are not always scary or mean looking. As a matter of fact, they may have a smile on their face and talk in a soft, friendly voice. But remember, they are still a stranger.
Dealing with strangers:
  • If a stranger approaches either on foot or in a vehicle, take a giant step backwards.
  • If they attempt to talk to you or ask for help for any reason, yell "NO" as loud as you can.
  • Run away as fast as you can, while yelling "NO".
  • Tell someone (a teacher, a parent or police officer or any other trusted adult) about what happened immediately.
Safety in the Home: At Home Alone
There may be a time when a child will be home alone, even if for a very short period.
The following rules should be learned and followed:

  • Never tell anyone that you are home alone.
  • All exterior doors and windows should be closed and locked. Don't forget the sliding glass doors.
  • If anyone comes to the door, don't open the door. Look through the viewer in the door or a window to make sure you know the person.
  • Talk to that person without opening the door by asking, "Who is it?" If it is a stranger, tell them your mom and dad are busy and can't come to the door right now. If they do not leave promptly, call 9-1-1 for help.
  • The same rule above applies when the phone rings. Tell them your Parents are busy and ask them to call back later.
  • If you have an answering machine, let it answer for you. Listen to the message.
  • Never touch anything in the medicine cabinet or any cleaning products anywhere in the house.
  • Never take medicine, including vitamins, without approval of your parents.
  • Do not handle matches or appliances including the stove and microwave.
Weapon Safety:
  • Treat a weapon like a stranger.
  • Take a step back from it.
  • Do not touch it.
  • Tell an adult about the weapon.
  • If you are at someone else's home, tell an adult. If there is no adult present, leave and tell your parents.


ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Federal Bureau of Investigation's Kid Page
http://www.fbi.gov/fbikids.htm/
Milstein Child Safety Page
http://www.mcgruff.org/
Yahooligans! Parent's Guide
http://www.yahooligans.com/parents/
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
Use the Buddy System. That means, wherever you walk, walk with someone — a friend from school, a brother or sister, a parent or grandparent. Remember, there is safety in numbers. When walking to and from school, store or play ground, always use the same route. Stay away from areas such as empty fields and creek beds. Parks are a fun place to play, but you should never be there unless you are accompanied by an adult.
VEHICLE SAFETY
  • Always wear a seat belt when riding in any vehicle.
  • If you are under 12 years of age you should ride in the rear seat of any vehicle equipped with a passenger side "air bag ".
  • Children under 6 years of age or under 60 pounds must ride in a child safety seat in the rear seat of the vehicle, this is applicable in 48 of the 50 States.


BICYCLE SAFETY
  • Before you get on that bicycle, make sure your helmet is on and fastened properly.
  • Several State laws requires that anyone under 18 must wear a helmet.
  • Small children should ride their bicycle on the sidewalk because it is safer for their age group than on the street.
  • Remember to watch for pedestrians and cars backing out of driveways. It is your responsibility to avoid them with your bicycle.
SKATEBOARD/ROLLERBLADE SAFETY
  • Make sure you are wearing safety equipment:
    helmet, wrist guards, gloves, elbow and knee pads.
  • Do not attempt "stunts" or "tricks" on public streets or sidewalks.

Safety Tips for Caregivers of Children

Every parent should know and follow these safety tips. Please take the time to read and share this information with your children.
Take Responsibility
Know where your children are at all times. Be familiar with their friends and daily activities.
Build Self-Esteem
A child who has low self esteem cannot protect himself/herself. Listen carefully to your children's fears, and be supportive in all your discussions with them, replacing fear with knowledge.
Teach Decision Making
Children at all ages can make decisions. Practice early with little decisions so big decisions later are easier. Teach them to trust their own feelings, and assure them they have the right to say NO to what they sense is wrong.
Build Support Systems
Children need positive adult role models and need to know where to go for help.
Choose Substitute Care Givers Carefully
Interview and monitor baby-sitters, group leaders, youth pastors, etc. Be alert to a teenager or adult who is paying an unusual amount of attention to your children or giving them inappropriate or expensive gifts.
Protect Kids Who Are Home Alone
Set ground rules, emergency contacts, and responsibilities for latchkey kids.
Talk With Children
Teach your children that no one should approach them or touch them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable. If someone does, they should tell their parents immediately.

Be Sensitive
Watch for changes in a child's behavior. They are signals that you should sit down and talk to your children about what caused the changes.

Use Role-Playing
Rehearse safety situations with your child. Give them power through knowledge. Play the WHAT IF? game.

Let Kids Be Kids
Teach them what they will need to know to be safe and let them know you will do your best to protect them. Don't scare the fun out of children.

Additional Resources
Please share these tips with your family and friends. These tips and other safety information are available from the following organizations:
-Birdy
Rape: And How Can I Reduce My Risk?
Sexual assault is any non-consensual sexual activity. It is an act of aggression and anger. Force used may be physical such as hitting, restraining, or threatening. It can also be emotional or psychological, such as being pressured into sex through guilt, money, or gifts in exchange for sex, or being taken advantage of while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. 
 
More than 93% of sexual assault victims are assaulted by someone they know, such as a family member, friend, date, acquaintance, or neighbor. Anyone can be a victim of sexual assault.

Most acquaintance rapes are opportunity driven and often involve excessive consumption of alcohol and/or drugs. Offenders who are prone to committing such offenses may seek out victims who they believe are easy targets because of their vulnerability.

Suggestions for Deterring Rape
The following are some suggestions to deter being raped:

  • Be careful of your use of alcohol and drugs. Vulnerability increases when one is intoxicated or high. The majority of rape involve use of alcohol and/or drugs.
  • Do not leave beverages unattended or in the care of someone other than a trusted friend.
  • Know your sexual intentions and limits. You have the right to say "no" to any unwanted sexual contact.
  • Communicate your limits clearly. Be firm and direct. You have the right to expect your limits to be respected.
  • Listen to your feelings. If you feel uncomfortable or think you may be at risk, leave the situation immediately and go to a safe place.
  • Don't be afraid to "make waves" if you feel threatened. If you are being pressured or coerced into sexual activity against your will, don't hesitate to state your feelings and get out of the situation. Better a few minutes of social awkwardness or embarrassment, than the trauma of a sexual assault.
  • Attend large parties with friends you can trust. Agree to look out for one another. Try to leave with a group rather than alone or with someone you don't know well.
  • When starting to date, have the first few dates in a public place. Avoid becoming isolated with someone you don't know well.
  • Sometimes offenders use the "you owe me" line to try to guilt someone into sex.
  • As a relationship progresses, avoid becoming physically, emotionally, or socially isolated from friends and family. Sexual assaults do happen within ongoing relationships.
Remember
Even if we take many precautions or steps to make ourselves less vulnerable, there is no guarantee we can prevent a sexual assault. Remember:

  • Sexual assault is never the victim's fault.
  • Victims do not cause their assaults.
  • Offenders are responsible for their actions.
  • Stranger Danger is applicable to both Children and Adults.
  • Its never a good idea to forget about a situation where you feel most uncomfortable being in.
  • Caution is the best policy, as there is more to sexual assault that injury to the sexual organs, the psychological injury can last for years or even your lifetime, and the other injuries associated with a rape can be quite significant.
It is better to take these steps and be cautious, than it is not to take these steps and suffer the pain and emotional consequences should an attack take place. -Birdy

A NOTE FROM BIRDY



A NOTE FROM BIRDY:
No need for the time consuming translation process by me anymore.  On the side-bar is the widget from Google, provides translation to the reader’s language of choice.  Please use it to read in the language or your preference.  Thank You. –Birdy

Et notat fra Birdy:
Intet behov for tidskrævende oversættelsesprocessen ved mig mere. På side-bar er widget fra Google, giver oversættelse til læserens sprog valg. Du skal bruge den til at læse på det sprog eller din præference. Tak. –Birdy

Een NOTA VAN BIRDY:
Geen behoefte aan de tijdrovende vertaalproces door mij niet meer. Aan de kant-bar is de widget van Google, biedt de vertaling naar de taal van de lezer van uw keuze. Gebruik het om te lezen in de taal of uw voorkeur. Dank u. -Birdy

Muistio Birdy:
Ei tarvita aikaa vievää käännös prosessi minua enää. Sivussa-baari on vekotin Google tarjoaa käännös lukijan kielen valinta. Käytä sitä lukea kielellä tai mieleiseksesi. Kiitos. -Birdy

NOTE DE BIRDY:
Pas besoin pour le processus de traduction de temps en plus de moi. Sur la barre latérale est le widget de Google, permet de traduire de la langue du lecteur de votre choix. S'il vous plaît l'utiliser pour lire dans la langue ou vos préférences. Merci. Birdy-

Eine Anmerkung von BIRDY:
Keine Notwendigkeit für die zeitraubende Übersetzungsprozess von mir nicht mehr. Auf der Seite-bar ist das Widget von Google, bietet die Übersetzung des Lesers Sprache der Wahl. Bitte verwenden Sie es in der Sprache oder Ihre Präferenz zu lesen. Danke. -Birdy

Una nota da BIRDY:
Non è necessario per il processo che richiede tempo di traduzione da me. Sul lato-bar è il widget di Google, fornisce servizi di traduzione di lingua del lettore di scelta. Si prega di utilizzare per leggere nella lingua o nelle proprie preferenze. Grazie. Birdy-

A NÓTA ÓN BIRDY:
Níl gá don phróiseas aistriúcháin ama ag dom anois. Ar an barra taobh-is é an ghiuirléid ó Google, cuireann aistriúchán ar an léitheoir rogha teanga. Bain úsáid as é a léamh i dteanga nó i do rogha. Go raibh maith agat. -Birdy

バーディーからのメモ:
もう私で時間のかかる翻訳処理の必要はありません。サイドバーで、Googleからのウィジェットですが、選択肢の読者の言語への翻訳を提供しています。言語またはお好みで読むためにそれを使用してください。ありがとうございました。 ·バーディ

Et notat fra Birdy:
Ikke behov for tidkrevende oversettelsesprosessen av meg lenger. På side-baren er widget fra Google, gir oversettelse til leserens språk. Bruk den til å lese i språk eller dine preferanser. Takk. -Birdy

UMA NOTA DE BIRDY:
Não há necessidade de o processo de tradução demorado por mim. No lado do bar é o widget do Google, fornece tradução para a língua do leitor de escolha. Por favor, use-o para ler na língua ou sua preferência. Obrigado. -Birdy

Записка от BIRDY:
Нет необходимости трудоемкий процесс перевода мне больше. На стороне-бар виджет от Google, обеспечивает перевод на язык читателю выбор. Пожалуйста, используйте ее, чтобы читать на языке или ваших предпочтений. Спасибо. -Birdy

UNA NOTA DE BIRDY:
No es necesario para el proceso de traducción en tiempo consumiendo por mí. En la barra lateral es el widget de Google, ofrece servicios de traducción a la lengua del lector de elección. Por favor, use para leer en la lengua o sus preferencias. Gracias. -Birdy

Ett meddelande från Birdy:
Inget behov av att tidskrävande översättningsprocessen av mig längre. På sidan-baren är widgeten från Google, ger översättning till läsarens språk val. Använd den för att läsa på ett språk eller dina önskemål. Tack. -Birdy

Lưu ý từ Birdy:
Không cần thời gian cho quá trình tiêu thụ dịch của tôi nữa. Trên thanh phía là các widget từ Google, cung cấp dịch sang ngôn ngữ của sự lựa chọn của người đọc. Hãy sử dụng nó để đọc trong ngôn ngữ hoặc sở thích của bạn. Cảm ơn bạn. -Birdy

NODYN GAN Birdy:
Dim angen ar gyfer y broses gyfieithu cymryd llawer o amser gan i mi anymore. Ar yr ochr-bar yw'r teclyn gan Google, yn darparu cyfieithu i iaith y darllenydd o ddewis. Os gwelwch yn dda ei ddefnyddio i ddarllen yn yr iaith neu eich dewis. Diolch yn fawr. -Birdy

Friday, March 15, 2013

Phishing -- What You Need to Know

Learn what search engine phishing is and how to prevent it

Most computer savvy people know about phishing, how it steals identities and wreaks havoc with your personal finances and credit ratings. To prevent phishing, it pays to know the different types. Search engine phishing is one of the most commonly used types of phishing. Learn what it is and how to prevent it.

Search Engine Phishing

With search engine phishing scams, phishers create web pages for fake products. After search engines index the web page, they sit and patiently wait for unsuspecting customers to enter their confidential information as part of an order, sign-up, or balance transfer.

One tactic these sites use to get customers to sign up or make these purchases is an almost 'to good to be true' price. This happens often with fraudulent banks. The website creates a page that advertises an interest rate slightly higher than any real banks. Victims, anxious to get this great interest rate, enter their bank account information for a balance transfer to their new account. 
Unfortunately, their new account doesn't really exist. They just became involved in a phishing scam and sending their money to a thief.

When you aren't the victim, it's easy to sit back and ask why anyone would fall for these tactics. The truth is, it happens all the time. Victims anxious to get the best deal or the best interest rate will jump at the chance. Government records show cases where some victims provided their information for fraudulent banks with names like 'Flintstone National Bank' of 'Bedrock, Colorado'. Sad but true.

To prevent search engine phishing from happening to you, be vigilant and wary. Think before you click and never trust any site that has offers that seem just too good to be true. The truth is... they are.

Protect Yourself -Prevent Identity Theft by Understanding Crimeware

Understanding crimeware is your first step to prevent identity theft

To stay safe and prevent identity theft, there are certain terms you must understand. Crimeware is one of those terms. Learn what crimeware is, how it can affect you, and how to prevent identity theft.

What is crimeware?

Crimeware is a type of malware cybercriminals use to steal the identity of unsuspecting Internet users. This type of computer crime is much more malicious than basic identity theft.

Thieves gain access to your credit card information, passwords, and bank accounts numbers. Once they have this information, they build more complex attacks that include silent back-door withdrawals to drain your accounts. Or, they make fake debit cards to access your account.

What makes crimeware different from other computer crimes is that the criminals have automated their techniques. When it comes to this type of computer crime, these thieves aren't playing around but have developed an efficient system to attack victims or entire networks.

How does this affect me?

Cybercriminals can steal your information in many different ways including installing keystroke loggers on your system. Once they have this in place, they steal your passwords and wait for you to log into your account to drain it of all money. 
 
They can also control your Internet surfing activities by redirecting your searchers to counterfeit sites and steal your personal information there.

What can I do?

You can be susceptible to crimeware in one of two ways. You can either open infected attachments sent to you by cyber criminals or you can become infected by a computer worm sent through an organization.

To avoid crimeware, visit only trusted and reputable sites. Never open email or attachments sent by unknown senders. Never click on hyperlinks sent to you through email.

In addition to the above methods of preventing crimeware, install an up-to-date anti-virus software on your computer. Check with your anti-virus provider to be sure you have protection from not only Internet-base viruses but also client-based viruses. 
 
As cyber criminals become advanced keeping your identity safe becomes more difficult. But not impossible. Follow these suggestions and prevent identity theft today.
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