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Ten Identity Theft Protection Tips
"A friend of mine lost thousands of dollars because of an identity theft scammer. That person was arrested, but undoing the damage has been difficult, time-consuming and expensive. Can you give me some practical tips to help defend against identity theft?"
Continue reading "Ten Identity Theft Protection Tips"...Is Your Email Really Private?
If you ever get the paranoid feeling that someone is reading your email, your suspicions probably focus on nefarious hackers or the government. But it's much more likely that an email voyeur is someone close to you. Your spouse, your boss, or a nosey parker who runs the computers at work may be peeking at your email...
Continue reading "Is Your Email Really Private?"...I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watching Me
Just about everything you do on the Internet is being watched by someone. Well, maybe "watching" isn't the best word to describe it, but you still might be surprised at how much of your online activity is logged, tracked or accessible for review. If that bothers you, bone up on these anonymous web browsing techniques...
Continue reading "I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watching Me"...Who's Watching You On the Web?
Every time you use the Web, you leave traces of your activity in many places. Some of that is the way the Internet was designed, and some is a little more tricky. If you're interested in hiding your online tracks with web privacy software, read on...
Continue reading "Who's Watching You On the Web?"...I Just Googled Myself, And I Feel Fine!
Have you ever Googled your name or phone number? In an age of powerful search engines, social media, and changing attitudes about privacy, you might be shocked to see what a casual searcher can learn about you. If you're okay with that level of transparency, then fine. If not, read on for some tips on what you can do about it...
Continue reading "I Just Googled Myself, And I Feel Fine!"...Is Your Smartphone Telling Secrets?
"I recently heard that some mobile phones tag all photos with the GPS coordinates where they were taken. Is this true, and if so, what can be done about this privacy exposure?"
Continue reading "Is Your Smartphone Telling Secrets?"...Should I Install a Keylogger?
A reader wrote to ask how he can hack into the email account of the woman he's thinking about marrying, ostensibly to see if she's gold or a gold-digger. One way to satisfy this curiosity is called a keylogger. But that opens up a bunch of ethical and legal issues. Should you install a keylogger to spy on someone else?
Continue reading "Should I Install a Keylogger?"...Has Your Identity Been Stolen?
If you're lucky, you'll know immediately when your identity has been stolen. A missing wallet or purse sets off an instant alarm. But many victims of identity theft don't learn of it until months after the fact, when enormous damage has been done to their finances and credit. Here's what to look for if you're concerned about possible identity theft...
Continue reading "Has Your Identity Been Stolen?"...Social Network Surveillance
"You can't have too many friends" is a proverb coined long before Facebook arrived. The fact is, you certainly can have too many "friends" on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and LinkedIn, especially when you don't know who they really are...
Continue reading "Social Network Surveillance"...What is Digital Forensics?
Digital forensics - "computer forensics" in older terminology - is the discovery, recovery, and investigation of digital information. You will usually hear the term "digital forensics" in connection with the investigation of a crime. But it also applies to recovery of an accidentally deleted file, or a forgotten password. You might be surprised to learn what kinds of information can be discovered through digital forensics...
Continue reading "What is Digital Forensics?"...RFID and Personal Security
"I understand that RFID chips are being embedded in passports, debit cards and other identification cards. Is there any truth to the rumor that hackers with special equipment can swipe my personal info as I walk by?"
Continue reading "RFID and Personal Security"...Remove Phone Listing
I just did a search for my phone number on Google and was shocked at the results that popped up. It showed my full name, street address and a map of my neighborhood with a big arrow pointing to my house! One more click and it showed a satellite photo of my house. I could see the car in the driveway and the dog in the back yard. How can I remove my personal information from Google and other online phone directories?
Continue reading "Remove Phone Listing"...Your Online Reputation
Does it matter what people are saying about you online? If someone is posting unkind, unflattering, or downright false comments about your or your business, it may matter a lot. Your online reputation is at least as valuable as your offline reputation, and much easier to keep tabs on. And you might be surprised at how much personal information can be found about you in cyberspace. Here's how to track and defend your online reputation...
Continue reading "Your Online Reputation"...Employee Internet Monitoring
Providing employees with Internet access at work is a necessity for many businesses. But employers must monitor employees' Internet use, and control it. Employee Internet monitoring and control is a touchy subject. Here's what you need to know...
Continue reading "Employee Internet Monitoring"...Do Identity Theft Protection Services Work?
Many people are concerned about identity theft these days, with good reason. If someone assumes your identity they can commit crimes for which you are blamed; raid your bank accounts; even ruin your employment prospects. With so much at stake, many people are paying over $20 a month for identity theft protection services. But are they wasting their money? Here's the scoop…
Continue reading "Do Identity Theft Protection Services Work?"...Facebook Privacy Settings
Facebook faces a mutiny from its millions of users. The company has outraged, exasperated, and frightened almost every user who has paid any attention to recent changes in his or her Facebook connections and privacy settings. If you are not paying attention, you should. Here's why, and what you need to do...
Continue reading "Facebook Privacy Settings"...Protect Yourself From Identity Theft
"A friend of mine lost over $50,000 because of an identity theft scammer. That person was arrested, but undoing the damage has been difficult, time-consuming and expensive. Can you give me some practical tips to help defend against identify theft?"
Continue reading "Protect Yourself From Identity Theft"...Can My Boss See What I Do Online?
"Like most people, I do a little personal web browsing at work. But I'm wondering... Can my boss see what websites I visit?"
Continue reading "Can My Boss See What I Do Online?"...Alternatives To Lifelock
"I'm considering LifeLock identity theft insurance, but are there other companies I should consider? And I've heard about do-it-yourself identity theft protection... is that a realistic alternative?"
Continue reading "Alternatives To Lifelock"...How to Hide Your IP Address
"I'm concerned about my online privacy, so I want to hide my IP address. How can I do this?"
Continue reading "How to Hide Your IP Address"...Privacy Software
"I'm concerned about threats to my privacy while using my home computer. Can you recommend any good tools to help me use my computer and navigate the web safely, without compromising my privacy?"
Continue reading "Privacy Software"...Private Browsing
"Some browsers now have a 'private browsing' mode which is supposed to eliminate your tracks while surfing the web. How well does this work in practice, and which browsers support the private browsing feature?"
Continue reading "Private Browsing"...Search Privacy
"I've heard that Google keeps a log of everything that people search for. If this is true, can I delete my search history? Who else is keeping track of what I search for?"
Continue reading "Search Privacy"...Is Privacy History?
What information about you is publicly available on the Web? In the past, only government agencies and businesses with a 'need to know' were able to access personal information. Today, Internet search engines allow almost anyone to find information about friends, co-workers, job applicants, etc. What information that YOU thought was private is available online?
Continue reading "Is Privacy History?"...Facebook Privacy
"I've switched from Myspace to Facebook because I was unhappy with the privacy controls there, and I've been told that Facebook lets you control this much better. Would you please go over the Facebook privacy settings and recommend which ones I should focus on?"
Continue reading "Facebook Privacy"...Computer Privacy At Work
Can the boss really see when you're surfing the Internet at work? Can the geeks from the IT Department monitor everything you do on your PC? Are any of them keeping tabs on those last twenty minutes of your lunch hour when you're playing Solitaire?
Continue reading "Computer Privacy At Work"...Sued For Downloading?
More and more, people are asking me if they can get sued by the entertainment industry for downloading, music, movies, games or television shows. The answer is YES, maybe. Read on and learn how to download safely, and avoid the snares of the RIAA, MPAA and copyright lawyers...
Continue reading "Sued For Downloading?"...Do Not Call Registry
"I keep getting emails from friends about adding my cell phone to a Do Not Call registry. Looks like a scam to me... Is the Do Not Call Registry for real, and if so, should I put both my home and cell phone numbers in it?"
Continue reading "Do Not Call Registry"...Anonymous Web Surfing
Going online can be like taking a walk in the park after midnight. Behind every tree there may be someone getting ready to mug you. This article will tell you how to surf the web with a higher level of protection...
Continue reading "Anonymous Web Surfing"...What is RFID?
"I understand that RFID involves some sort of computer chip that can identify objects and their locations. What exactly can be tracked with RFID and are there any privacy concerns I should know about?"
Continue reading "What is RFID?"...Myspace Trackers
"I visited someone else's Myspace profile and saw a little graphic that said "You've been tracked!" Can people really track who is visiting their Myspace pages?"
Continue reading "Myspace Trackers"...View Private Profile
"I have my Myspace page set to private, but an ex-friend has gotten access to all of my Myspace friends that are on my page, and is emailing them. I asked him about this and he told me that he found a way to view private Myspace pages and he also said he can view my friends. How is this possible, and is there a way to prevent people from viewing a private Myspace profile?"
Continue reading "View Private Profile"...Background Checks
"I note there are several sites that one may 'check out' someone. Is there any way one may find out if he/she has been 'checked out'? Your tips help this old Senior stay up to date!"
Continue reading "Background Checks"...Is Google Desktop Evil?
"I got a warning from a friend who told me not to use the Google Desktop program. He says it will secretly make copies of my personal files and send them to Google's own servers, and from there they could be made available to the government. Is this true?"
Continue reading "Is Google Desktop Evil?"...Identity Theft
Remember that 1995 movie "The Net", starring Sandra Bullock? Okay, I didn't see it either. Somehow I couldn't imagine Sandra as a software engineer after watching her in "While You Were Sleeping". But I digress... the movie was a story about a growing problem today -- identity theft. Read on to learn how it happens, and try my 12-step program to protect yourself.
Continue reading "Identity Theft"...Keystroke Logging
A friend of mine believes that her husband is chatting through email and IM's with other women. Is there any way to track the IM's or emails on her home computer?
Continue reading "Keystroke Logging"...Does IP Address Reveal my Physical Location?
"Can someone track a user (name, home address, etc.) simply by having their email or IP address? The reason I ask is my kids play some games online, and these sites sometimes have a chat area, where the players can talk to each other while playing. Can my kids be tracked down in any way?"
Continue reading "Does IP Address Reveal my Physical Location?"...Is Your Printer Spying on You?
"I've heard that some printers embed a secret coded dot pattern on each printed page, and that if you decode the dots, you can determine the owner of the printer and the exact time the page was printed. That sounds like a privacy violation -- is it true?"
Continue reading "Is Your Printer Spying on You?"...Clearing Browser History
"How do I clear the list of sites visited in my web browser? There are some nosy people in my office and I don't want them to be able to see what web sites I have visited."
Continue reading "Clearing Browser History"...
