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Serving Greater Hampton Roads, Virginia
"Anytime Line" - (757) 531-1300
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Internet Happenings
The Internet is a remarkably bizarre mix of information and titillation. Making good use of it requires a new kind of common sense and some basic technical skills. With a nod to privacy, here are some issues that demand a response from nearly all users, and suggestions for how to deal with them at home and at work:
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Back to Home page
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Find a BBB Member:
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Arguably the most pernicious mis-use of Internet features, unwanted email takes a toll on both the entire Internet computer system, and on its recipients. From mildly annoying to threateningly dire, these messages from strangers remind us that this aspect of our online identity is not in our control.
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Most spam is a solicitation to buy something. That something might be an "opportunity" to buy or sell a product "guaranteed to make you rich"! Our email addresses are most often sold by marketing companies that collect lists of known addresses, just as with regular postal direct mail. The difference is with cost and quantity. Direct mail to our homes costs money, thus merchants are selective and limited. Spam however costs nothing to send, thus it goes out indiscriminately, often sent by a "business" that is no more than a phone number, or a post office drop box. Junk email and the products it promotes are almost never sent by a credible merchant.
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Spam senders, knowing full well that their messages are despised by most recipients, sometimes include an offer to remove you from future mailings. How? By asking you to contact them and volunteer your name, address, and/or email! If you do that, your information could easily be sold again as part of the most sought-after email lists available: A verified "live" address. Don't do it!
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...to stop getting junk email:
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...to avoid attracting new junk email:
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Don't respond to any junk email messages yourself (doing so may ensure that you get lots more). Instead, forward a copy of it to your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Most ISPs want to stop spam too, because it first must pass through their computers (and thus clog their resources) before it gets to yours. Your ISP can set up filters to block junk email that comes from known senders, and many have a special email address expressly for reporting spam that gets through.
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When you DO want "more information", or to "subscribe" or to "register" or otherwise reveal your email address to anyone other than your trusted acquaintances, use a second email address that does not have any personal information connected to it. Free email addresses are available through a number of national services including the major search engines, and are known as "web-based email". It is free in the way that broadcast television is free: you must endure advertising banners that appear on each of your email screens. To get your free email account you are asked to provide some personal information- in this case you should fill in the blanks with information that is not correct. Once done, your use of the new email address will become a privacy buffer between you and potentially disreputable scams.
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Got some spam? Forward it here (and whether you want us to include your name as the contributor). We'll post some of the most current spam making the rounds on the spam page.
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Email chain letters- are spam-like in their attempt to reach as many people as possible. Unlike commercially inspired spam, chain letters ask the reader to participate by forwarding the message to everyone the reader knows (and everyone they know), in order to "share" the supposedly important news. Some messages are bogus warnings (such as virus hoaxes) to avoid opening email messages that have a certain name. Some are "prayers" which promise to bring the sender "good luck" when sent out. Still others are illegal when they ask that you send money (or something else of value) to the person at the top of the list- a classic pyramid, or Ponzi scheme.
Viruses on the Internet- are easily outnumbered by false warnings about viruses on the Internet. Virus hoaxes are spread as chain letters by well-meaning but naïve users. You can not get a virus by simply reading your email. You can get a virus by opening (or clicking on) an "attachment" that appears on an email message. Attachments are often documents that have been written with a standard word-processor program such as Microsoft Word or Corel Word Perfect. They appear on your email screen as an icon (perhaps a picture of a paper clip) and/or highlighted text (sometimes inside a box) at the end of the email message. Even a friend can unwittingly send you a virus this way if his computer is infected. Anti-virus software will likely stop a known virus, but for maximum safety, don't open attachments. While it is unlikely that you will "catch" a virus on your (or your company's) computer, the consequence is too potentially devastating. Ask the sender to change the message to plain text that can be safely sent and received as regular email.
Similarly, don't download anything from the Internet unless you have either unshakeable faith in the site operator and/or a current anti-virus utility.
Get basic tips on shopping safely on the Internet. Visit the Department of Energy's Computer Incident Advisory Capability site for more details.
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