Criminals have found new and creative ways to use the Internet to obtain access to personal financial accounts, credit card numbers and other private data. The trend is frightening.   One of the most common tactics used by sophisticated identity thieves is called “phishing,” in which official-looking e-mails try to trick consumers into “updating” or “validating” their account number, Social Security number or personal password. The spam often uses the name of a legitimate company and even incorporates what appears to bew the company’s logo.

When you receive a suspicious looking e-mail, look to see if the message contains a generic greeting, such as “Dear eBay Member,” and tries to create a false sense of urgency about your account standing. Do not open the mail—simply delete it. If you open it, you could be opening your computer to viruses or other devices that can record everything you type, including user passwords and account information that can be used by the identity thief for illegal purposes.

To avoid Internet fraud, the California Attorney General recommends that you protect your computer in the following ways:

•Update your computer’s operating system, browser and other programs on a regular basis by downloading the most current patches. A patch fixes bugs, adds new features and closes security holes in those programs that allow infections into your computer.

•Install anti-virus software that protects your computer from any type of malicious code. Update the software frequently and don’t forget firewall protection, which defines what type of communications are permissable.

•When purchasing products online, be sure you are using a secure site. Look at the address line to see if the website locater includes https://, instead of http://. The “s” means the site is secure. 

•Always “log out” of online sessions whenever possible. Unauthorized transactions and activity can occur if you leave the online session accessible to other users.

•Check your bills and bank statements frequently to be sure that no one is using your accounts. Free credit reports can be ordered through www.annualcreditreport.com, or by calling (877) 322-8228.   For more information on protecting yourself against fraud on the Internet, visit www.ag.ca.gov/consumers/alert.htm, www.usdoj.gov/ criminal/fraud/idtheft.html, or www.ftc.gov/idtheft. 

If you believe that you have been scammed, you can file a complaint with the Internet Fraud Complaint Center at www.ifccfbi.gov, or at www.ftc.gov.