Showing posts with label internet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label internet. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Online Scams: How To Avoid Getting Fooled

Beware of the three ways of getting fooled into giving up your money through seemingly innocent money-making schemes. Scams are all around us and it can be found in every single area of life, but more so in such areas where the risk is greater such as when dealing with credit cards, bank accounts and other activities which involve sending or receiving money online.

The Bank/Credit Card Email Scam:
If you get an email asking you to sign up to your bank account or credit card through the email because your privacy is under danger or just to receive a free gift or something: BEWARE! Do not sign up through the internet address provided in the email. If the email does make you anxious, go to the bank or credit card site using the address you know already or through searching the search engines.
How Does This Scam Work?
The senders of the email know that only a very few will sign up but that is all they need. When you signed up to the bogus internet address, they got your user and password. Now its time for them to party!

The Missing Millionaire Scam:
If you receive an email saying that they represent a dead or missing former ruler, high-ranking official or businessman from an African, Gulf or even Russian: BEWARE! They offer you a chance to earn anything between one to five percent of ten to fifty million. And for your co-operation only. Don't get sucked into this, for though they speak of giving you money, they will receive cash and from your account.
How Does This Scam Work?
They will ask you for your bank details in order to transfer the cash and then they will use that to transfer a small amount. Now, once you trust them, they will ask you for more personal and secure details because they "need" that to transfer the entire sum in and out of your account. What they won't tell you is that they will transfer all the money out from your account: theirs and yours.

The Make Money Fast Scam:
This is the most innocent of the lot, but that is also why it is the most dangerous. These are so-called companies that advertise that if you only sign up and use their system, you will mint money. Please do not fall for such schemes. They will pay you some money but then once trust is built, they will fleece your bank account. Remember that quick money scams are the surest and fastest way to lose all your money!

Conclusion:
Whatever you do online, always remember that the internet is not a safe place. Treat it like you would treat any other business venture and bring up your guard. If you play it safe and check out the companies before committing, you will be able to guard yourself against losing money to crooks.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Movies On The Internet - Good For Us, Bad For Them?

You're watching TV one evening scanning through the reruns thinking it's pathetic how little there is to watch anymore when a fantastic movie trailer comes on. It's everything you love - the right actors, the wit, the action - and your heart beats a little faster in anticipation - if only you could watch it RIGHT NOW!

Well, the film industry has heard you. Along with the speed of the internet, consumers have now come to a new stage of demand. It used to be that we WANTED everything immediately - now we EXPECT it.

This is not the sort of thing that goes unnoticed by industries that cater to public reception. And now it has been announced that we may not be far away from simply walking over to our computer and downloading the newest releases.

During a meeting at the Cannes Film Festival, Culture Ministers from across Europe, film industry representatives and Internet Service Providers were among those who met to discuss the possible policies needed to distribute movies online.

BBC news reports European Union media commissioner Viviane Reding as stating: "In Europe, as in other continents, the opportunities for people to enjoy films online are set to increase tremendously over the next few years".

Naturally there are still many issues to be resolved before movies are readily available to the public online. Piracy and broadband capabilities are still being questioned.

Piracy became the prominent issue when music files were being illegally shared over the internet. While the music industry fought against such services as Napster, they are still far from recovering their market revenue and the film industry is not anxious to join them.

What can't be debated is that there IS a market, and no industry likes to bypass that because of possible problems.

Right now European broadband may not be up to the task of downloading such large files but has plans to proceed with distribution soon.

In America there has already been movie distribution with the inevitable legal proceedings against individuals facilitating unauthorized downloads.

Although the fight against piracy is being taken very seriously by the industry, it is still parents who are at the forefront of setting the example and instructing children on the ethics of downloading such material. Responsibility is learned.

In any event, the next time you see a great movie advertised and you are handy to the internet, perhaps you should stay in, avoid the lines and the traffic and check it out online!