Did You Win $$$??

FAKE OFFER – MILLIONS OF DOLLARS

Direct deposit to your account (cause you look like a nice guy). Bank clerks or people running from countries with new governments, all needing to deposit millions of dollars in a “secure account” somewhere – suddenly decide you are the best, most trusted person they can find and they are ready to share huge amounts of the millions with you – just give them your account info and they'll do all the rest – (YOU BET THEY WILL) –

These guys will clean out your bank account in a heart beat.

That email from DR. ABEBON TRINICAN in Nigeria – asking you to let him deposit 12,500,000 dollars into your bank account is one of the biggest scams on the Internet.

Asking for assistance with a “financial matter” - 12 and half million is not coming to your bank, but everything you have will quickly disappear from your account.

DO NOT send them any “advance fees” or give them any information about your bank, your business or anything at all - In fact, the best thing is: DO NOT REPLY – [JUST DELETE]

FREE STUFF

Free stuff rules – but it is never really free.

Free gift cards – Beware of gift certificates – they are all fake. There is no such thing as a “Free Lunch”. There is always something behind the word “free”. So run! (Don't WALK) to the nearest exit. Get away from anything offered to you from people or companies you do not know or cannot verify. Even if you think you know who it is coming from – be careful. Read the next two and see why you can't even trust your own “bank”.

FREE OR REAL CHEAP PRICES – ON LATEST COMPUTERS & SOFTWARE

Look at these email ads:

FREE HP NOTEBOOK!
$35 – for Adobe Premiere!

$25 for Windows Vista!

$200 for latest Sony Laptop!

Why not reply? It's free or real cheap. You are thinking, “What is there to loose?”

Answer: Everything

Whatever you give them – you gave them.

It was all a fraud. There is no such thing as “Trial Beta Versions” of these very expensive software. And why would any large company just send out a FREE computer to you by email?

What is the catch?

One – they tell you it is FREE, but of course you need to pay the shipping, handling and setup charges (in advance) and they get your money and you get “FREE” (meaning – “nothing”).

Or – they quote unbelievable low prices on expensive software, you give them the money and (same thing – you get “nothing”).

No such thing as FREE – on the Internet.

OFFICIAL BANK REQUEST

Bank asking for information – not financial institution or any other company will ever ask you for passwords or verification of account information.

This is a trick called “Phishing”

Passwords are TOP SECRET

Do not share your passwords with anyone else.

YOUR “FRIEND HAS BEEN ROBBED” AND NEEDS MONEY IMMEDIATELY

This scam appears to be coming from someone you know, or someone well known in your community. They claim to be traveling and have been robbed or lost all their money and identification. They say they are in desperate need of your help and they are going to pay you for getting some money to them right away. They are traveling and just had their money and identification stolen. They are stranded and need money to have some food, pay their hotel bill and travel back home. As soon as they get back home. Naturally, they will send you back all the money (maybe even with a nice bonus for being so kind).

Sound to good to be true? (It is a big fat lie)

There is no way for you to check it out. They say they don't have a phone. They are using the computer at the local library to send the email. Their identification is stolen. Their money is all gone, passport missing, no place to stay – hotel bill not paid, no luggage. And all you have to do is send 2,000 or 3,000 dollars by Western Union to someone who is going to claim it for them (remember they have no identification, so you are going to send it to some stranger). But of course, they will pay you back – with a bonus!

• Yeah, sure they will – (NOT!)

This is a case of stolen identity for sure – but it wasn't the passport, driver's license or visas that were stolen – it was the email account that you are getting the email from. It is not “your friend” or well known person. It is a scammer – and he is using the names and emails in the stolen account to mail out to everyone.

What can you do?

If you know the person might really be in trouble and want to be sure, then call the person at their home (they most likely are sitting there wondering why they can't access their email account right now). But DO NOT REPLY TO THE EMAIL.

YOU ARE A WINNER! (Not really)

Your email did not “WIN” the Irish or Canadian or South American Lottery!

Nobody wins lottery in email – especially since you know you didn't even enter any lottery.

Why would they send you email?

They want you to reply. Or you just click a link.

Either way – They got you!

As soon as you reply to anyone on the Internet, your email provides them with information. They can find out where you are (by the I.P. Address), some things about you (Google search with your name and location finds blogs, forums, My Space, Face Book). Then it is not long until they are sending you emails that look like your bank, your job, your friends and offers they know you can't refuse.

PASSWORDS

The easiest password to crack is the word: PASSWORD

So many people think it is cute or funny to just use the word “password” or “pass” not realizing this is the very first word scammers will use to get their account.

Do not use short passwords or common words, like “word”. Do not use your name or names of family members. Do not your street or city name. Do not use the same name for the account as the password.

Experts suggest minimum eight (8) characters combing upper and lower case letters with numbers and punctuation marks:

5EcretPA55w0rd! <“secret password” with the exclamation mark, uses this combination, starting with the number “5” then a capital “E”, then letters: c,r,e,t; then the capital letters; P,A; then two “5”s, a lower case “w”, then the number zero “0”; the lower case letters; “r” and “d” and finally the exclamation mark (!”. Together, these will be difficult for a “hacker” to figure out, but easy for you to remember.

– By the way: DON'T USE THIS ONE – BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS IT NOW!

SOCIAL NETWORKING – NOT SECURE

Face Book? My Space? And Blogs are not the place for private pictures, phone numbers, personal background or credit or financial information – don't belong on the Internet.

Embarrassing and costly, these things would not happen, if you keep private what is supposed to be kept private.

NAKED - NUDE PHOTOS – BIG TRICK! - IT'S SPYWARE
“NUDE” – “NAKED” are two words even more popular than the word “SEX” on the Internet today.

Anytime you see these words in the subject line – Do not open! – DELETE, DELETE, DELETE!
And by the way, Britney Spears and Paris Hilton did NOT pose in naked photos – just for you!

This is one of the fastest ways to have everything on your computer “Open to the Public”.

Everyone is tempted from time to time “Just to peak”.
But don't fall for it. This is SPYWARE and it is almost impossible to get it out of your computer even with some of the best “cleaners” on the market. This is one of the worst ways to loose everything on your computer or even have it “Crash” - while you sit there helpless to do anything about it.

MEETING NEW “FRIENDS” & SOCIALIZING ON THE WEB –

It all seems so simple and easy. After all, you are in the safety of your own home and no one on the Internet knows who you are and where you live – right?

Wrong!

Once you start sharing any information, even your email address, they do have information on you and they can easily get more.

Actually, you are the one who doesn't know who they are, where they are – and more important – what they are after.

This is one of the cases where taking your money would not be the worst thing that could happen. Too many cases have been reported of young and old alike being taken in by these con artists and their stories only to wind up on the front page as another statistic.

Not only is your credit information, bank account and all your valueables exposed to the world's worst criminals – but your very life itself can be in untold danger, all because you were “looking for love – in all the wrong places.”
ADVISE: DON'T DO IT

OK Here are the basic rules for the Internet (and life too):

Do not reply to emails from people or companies your don't know.

Do not click on the links from people or companies you don't know.

Even if you recognize the email address, but the email says strange things or asks you to do something out of the ordinary (like sending money), do not reply until you verify by phone or some other way.

FORGET FREE - There is nothing “Free” in this world, except air (take a deep breath before the government figures out how to tax that too).

If it sounds to good to be true – It probably is (not true).

The best security is – keep it off the Internet.

Secrets are not secrets after you tell even one person.

If you want privacy – Keep it OFF the Internet.

Here are some “Words of Wisdom” (from my dad):

“You can never beat a man at his own game.”

“Best way to keep a secret – Don't tell anyone”

“Don't share personal or private information”

“No such thing as a FREE Lunch”

“If it sounds too good to be true – it probably is”

And never, never, NEVER – give your information, or passwords to ANYONE – EVER!

And one more thing – you can't see or hear or know the person who is really sending you the email – so from now on – Only put your trust in the One who Sees and Hears and Knows everything, always – The Almighty.

READ - RATE - COMMENT - TELL OTHERS BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE - ALLAH WILL REWARD YOU, inshallah.