Criminals are always coming up with new, high-tech
ways to steal your credit card numbers, passwords and other vital information.
Here are some tips on how to spot a fake Web site or email and protect yourself
against these dirty tricks.
TIP 1. How to Verify
a safe Website
TIP 2. How to spot
Email Scams
TIP 3. How to Avoid
Domain Scams
TIP 4. Viruses and
Spyware
TIP 5. Account
Security and Passwords
TIP 1. How to Verify a safe Website
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LOOK FOR
the Privacy Policy
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LOOK FOR
the Padlock
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LOOK FOR
SSL Security
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Visit the Privacy Policy and you will
see our site is a licensee of the TRUSTe Privacy Program.
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At the payment page and login page look in the
lower right corner of Internet Explorer, you'll see this padlock.
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At the bottom of the
home page, you'll see
this image.
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 |
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Read our Privacy Policy to verify our
Privacy Policy can be trusted.
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Double-click the padlock to see a virtual
certificate which will verify a valid certificate.
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Click on this certificate to verify that the
domain belongs to the company listed and that company's certificate is valid.
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Back to
Top
TIP 2. How to Spot Email Scams
One of the most popular scams is called phishing
or pharming and it works like this:
An email is designed to look like its coming from a
well-known and respected Web site, such as DomainZoo.com. The email states that
theres a problem with your account and tells you to click on a link within the
email to update your customer information. When you click on the link, youre
taken to a fake Web page, again designed to look like the official site, where
any information you enter goes directly to the criminals who set it all up.
Here are some tips on what to look for:
1. Where does the link take you? Fake emails usually hide the actual Web
address within a linked phrase like "Click here" or "Log in". To be safe,
always type the Web site address into your browser and log in from there.
2. Does the email ask you for information? Fake emails will ask you to
reply with your personal information or to fill it into spaces provided within
the email. Beware of any email that asks you to provide:
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Bank account numbers
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Social Security numbers
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Your full name
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Birthdate
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Email addresses
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3. Is the Web
page secure? Any time you're asked to give personal information
online, the Web address should begin with "https:". The "s" stands for "secure"
and is your key to knowing your information is protected.
4. Is the email addressed to you
personally? Many phishers send fake emails that use generic
greetings, such as "Dear Customer" or "Dear Sir/Madam." Official DomainZoo.com
emails are personalized with the name you gave us when you registered.
5. Does the email read well?
Fake emails are often littered with misspellings, poor grammar, etc. These
mistakes actually help them avoid spam filters, but they should be a dead
give-away that they are not from the real DomainZoo.com. All our emails are
written with care and proofread by industry professionals.
6. Is the page a 'pop-up'? Fake emails and Web sites will use pop-up
windows to collect information. Pop up windows appear without any action on
your part and have no address bar or navigation buttons. DomainZoo.com will
never ask you to provide information via a 'pop-up' (though we may occasionally
use a pop-up to provide you with information).
7. Is there an attachment? Many fake emails will include an attachment
that, if launched, could install spyware, launch a virus or more. DomainZoo.com
will never send you an attachment or software update via email.
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Some registrars use every trick in the book to
capture your business - and then leave you feeling foolish. Here are some
common tricks to watch out for:
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Bait-and-switch transfers: We do not issue renew notices by
mail. Some companies offer extremely low-cost or even free transfers.
But when it comes time to renew, they sock you with prices that are two, three,
or four times the amount that DomainZoo.com charges. DomainZoo.com guarantees
that youll never renew for more than you originally registered. (The only
exceptions would be if the price the registry charges us increased, or if you
took advantage of a limited-time, special price. And if the registry increases
our cost, yours will go up only by the amount ours did, never more.)
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Unbelievably low prices: All registrars have to pay the
registry for the domains they sell, and that price is fixed. So if you see
domains priced at less than $6, the seller is actually losing money. How do
they make it up? Thats right they sock you at annual renewal; provide
inadequate or no service; and/or charge unreasonably high prices for the other
services you need.
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Vanishing companies: One technique the big guys use is to
launch small companies that offer incredibly low prices. They advertise all
over the Internet for a while; capture all the customers they can and then
they disappear. Those unfortunate enough to have registered or transferred a
domain to them will be rolled back into the parent company at the parent
companys much higher rates.
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TIP 4. Viruses and Spyware
Theyre two of the most common cyber threats, yet
many people dont really understand what spyware and viruses are or how to
protect themselves. Heres what you need to know:
Viruses: In general terms, a virus is a computer
program or code that replicates on its own and spreads to other computers
through email or open network connections. While some viruses are more
dangerous than others, nearly all are designed to damage or destroy computer
data, including files and software programs. Anti-virus software will screen
suspicious files and either delete or quarantine them. There are several
anti-virus options, from free downloadable programs to expensive professional
software suites. DomainZoo.com email accounts include powerful, built-in
anti-virus screening to detect and stop viruses before they ever reach your
Inbox.
Spyware: Similar to viruses in the way that it often sneaks onto your
system through innocent-looking emails or programs, spyware is different from a
virus in that it doesnt self-replicate and will not generally damage data.
Instead, spyware can cause a number of different types of problems from
monitoring and reporting which Web sites you visit to stealing your private and
personal information (such as user names, passwords, credit card and bank
account numbers and more) which allows them to steal your identity, empty your
bank account, run up your credit cards and worse. Like virus protection, there
are several effective anti-spyware programs available online for free and more
feature-rich versions available for purchase at your local retailer.
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Keeping unauthorized users from accessing your
account is the first and most basic step in protecting your personal
information. Here are a few tips on creating a strong password:
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Make your password at least 8 characters long.
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Include at least 1 number in your password, preferably
in-between letters.
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Vary between upper and lower case letters.
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Use acronyms or abbreviations instead of common names
of family members, pets, sports teams, etc.
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Dont use the same password for every site or login.
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Change your password every few months.
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Weak Password: jsmith
Better Password: j0hnsm1Th
Best Password: sPW2kmAs
(Acronym: strong PassWord to [2]
keep my Account secure)
