COn The Internet Tips for Safe Online Shopping this Holiday Season (NAPSA)—If you’ve been think- ing about shoppingonlinethis holiday season, you’re not alone. Consumers spent $26 billion online last year according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Many, however, are worried Inbox. - Microsoft Outlook. i File Edit View Go Tools Actions that shopping online will result in a (ahaa) are legitimate, so that you don’t have to worry. 4. Choose e-mail security soft- ware that protects you from un- @) Three Weeks Ago & Last Month a Ba Ss @ Sj Public Folders a BBa4m2 flood of unwanted e-mail spam and If an e-mail seems fishy, it could form of e-mail/online fraud) cur- ing.” Don’t fall for it. with 51 unique phishing attacks (a rently taking place per day in 2004, the concern regarding formsof email spam is a valid one. Expert Karl Jacob, CEO of Cloudmark and visionary in the e-mail security space, is working to help educate consumers about ways to protect themselves as they shop online, and has identi- fied five critical tips to avoid being a victim of online identify theft, phishing and unwanted e-mail spam this holiday season. 1. Don’t e-mail personal or fin- ancial information. Avoid filling out forms in e-mail messages that ask for personal financial information. Legitimate companies will not ask for this information via e-mail. 2. Be aware of “phishing” and makesure you are protected Phishing is a high-tech scam that uses spam, pop-up messages or counterfeit Web sites to deceive you into disclosing your credit card numbers, bank account information, social security number, passwords, or other sensitive information. The message may pop up while you are online or take the form of an e-mail notification that “secure”). In addition there are solutions available that will auto- matically ensure Web site links about the effects of holiday shop- ping in their e-mail inboxes and the possibility of fraud. A staggering 72 percent said they are concerned Help be the fraud known as “phishsays you need to “update”or “validate” your account information. These attempts can often be recognized through grammarerrors and general language that is improper for corporation to cus- tomer communications. 3. Don’t use the links in an e- mail to get to any Web page, if you suspect the message might not be authentic. As Web site and e-mail sender addresses are frequently faked it is always safer to log directly onto the Web site address in your browser, or even call the company by phone. For example, a phishing e-mail may open a nearreplica of a bank Web site and a pop up message will appear that directs the consumer to “please confirm financial information.” If you initiate a transaction and want to provide your personal or financial information through an organization’s Web site, look for indicators that the site is secure, like checking the beginning of the Web address URL for a Web site that begins “https:” (the “s” stands for wanted e-mail spam If you use e-mail, you are likely receiving a growing amount of “junk” e-mail (otherwise known as spam) on a daily basis. Researchers estimate that spam represents anywhere from 30 to 70 percent of all e-mail traffic. There are, however, solutions such as Cloudmark SpamNet that stop over 98 per- cent of spam, protecting you from unwanted junk mail, fraud and all dangerous e-mail threats. Products such as this, can save you time and money avoiding the annoyance of unwanted e-mails and helping to ensure your safety this holiday season. 5. Regularly log into your online accounts Keep abreast of transactions and look out for any obscure amounts or purchases you don’t recognize. If anything looks suspi- cious, contact your bank orcredit card company immediately. To buy your holidaygifts safely andsecurely this holiday season it is important to chose an e-mail security software solution that addresses all forms of e-mail spam, including online fraud and phishing, such as the solutions available from Cloudmark, which protect from all e-mail threats— e-mail-born viruses, worms, spam and even the most devious fraud messages. For more information, visit http://www.cloudmark.com/.
