The complete idiot's guide to protecting yourself online

The Internet has created a wealth of opportunities for people to buy and sell products and services online, to share information about important and not-so-important news events and a variety of topics, and to do just about everything else under the sun. Unfortunately there are also a lot of people around who cause varying levels of mischief and outright harm to people operating online. Graffiti, vandalism, theft, slander, and assault have joined the high-tech scene much to the dismay of the greater online community! Preston Gralla, the author of a number of computer and Internet books, has written The Complete Idiot's Guide to Protecting Yourself Online to warn people of the serious dangers they face while online and to help them to better prepare themselves to meet these challenges head-on. Readers will find plenty of detailed online safety information packed into this book. Gralla offers readers insight on how to protect themselves from online scam artists, he offers online shopping instructions, online payment considerations, online auction tips, guidance on keeping kids safe when they go online, helpful online resources, help dealing with spammers, investment scams, protection against computer viruses, selecting passwords, maintaining privacy online, keeping personal information safe, and much much more! Laced with wit, wisdom, and Que's flair for humor as presented in The Complete Idiot's Guide... series, Gralla shines through with help for anyone seeking to operate online with minimal harm from others. This book is fun and easy to read, yet it packs a powerful punch when it comes to offering protection for personal and business use. It will contribute to greater levels of online safety, privacy, and will boost the self-confidence of anyone going online!

Do you like buying things on the Internet with your credit card? Think other people wouldn't like buying things with your credit card, too? Have you given out personal information to register for "contests" and "events?" Beware. Sometimes the wizard making the promises is only a little man sitting behind a curtain pulling levers and talking through microphones. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Protecting Yourself Online makes sure that you take the necessary steps and precautions when registering, ordering, or even just conversing on the Internet. Keep people out of your personal life by creating hacker-proof passwords, removing your name from databases, and eliminating a third party's ability to accumulate information about you—such as address, Social Security number, credit card numbers, and more.

A guide to online security explains how to avoid Internet scams, shop online safely, monitor children's Web access, block "spammers," and protect one's computer from viruses