Con Artists and Password Thieves

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Would you trust a total stranger who came up to you on the street and asked for your password or credit card number? Of course not. So why should you trust a total stranger who e-mails you?

Follow these rules to avoid getting ripped off online:

• Never give your password to anyone who requests it. Never. Real representatives of your ISP or online service already have access to it, and nobody else should have it.
• Never send your credit card number to anyone via e-mail.
• Do not give out your home address or telephone number.
• Do not buy anything based on an unsolicited e-mail advertisement you receive.
• If you have doubts about a company, contact the Better Business Bureau in their city.

E-mail is usually the first Internet tool that a beginner learns to use, and it is often the most important tool available to even advanced Internet surfers. E-mail keeps you in touch one-on-one with individuals all over the world, from your brother in Los Angeles to your stock broker in New York. By mastering e-mail, you ensure that you'll stay in touch with the people and businesses that are important to you, no matter where they might be.

Faithe Wempen is a freelance writer, editor, computer consultant, and software trainer from Indianapolis, Indiana.