Additional TIPS for SAFE-Surfing the Internet

One of my previous articles mentioned ways to keep you safe from the “goons” of the web. I mentioned there five tips:

1. Transact only on your trusted web sites.
2. Look for valid web certificates.
3. Install an antivirus.
4. Do not transact at pubic internet connections.
5. Have a good internet browser.

I have here additional safety tips that can help you minimize the risk of being a victim of cyber crime.

EMAILS

1.Do not open attachments to emails that you do not expect.
Sometimes, you may receive emails from a person you do not know and asks you to see the attached files. BEWARE of this! There is a big risk that these attachments contain malicious programs designed to harm you or your computer. Some malicious programs can steal your private information and use it to commit cyber crime.

2. No to Phishing
Do you sometimes receive emails from someone you do not know containing links to a familiar website? If you do, then you are at risk of being a victim of “phishing”. Phishing uses emails that contain links that direct you to websites that can harm you. Some of these websites can install malicious applications without your knowledge. They may hide the true web address of the site by posting the web address of a known and trusted website.

3.Keep away from spam mails.
Aside from the fact that spamming is illegal, it can also harm you. Some spam messages contain intriguing messages that may convince you to give the information they are asking for. Below is the picture of several spam messages I’ve been receiving for quite a while now. It always mentions that I won from a lottery or that my email was selected as a lucky winner in their raffle draw. They usually ask you to reply immediately with your name, address, bank account number and other personal information.

Question: Is it OK to reply but just don’t give any info?

The answer is NO. It’s actually a bad idea. Some spammers are just guessing email addresses and your reply will just verify the existence of your email. Replying to a spam message may just lead to more spam messages being sent to your mailbox.

BROWSING THE WEB

4. Ctrl-Shift-Del
When you are browsing the web in internet cafes, make sure that before you leave, clear your history and all your browsing data.

In Firefox, Internet Explorer and Chrome browsers that run on Windows, the keyboard shortcut is Ctrl-Shft-Del.

5. I use WOT
I personally find it useful to use the WOT plug-in in Firefox. WOT stands for web of trust. It indicates whether a website is trustworthy or not. When you open an unsafe website, it will pop out and ask you if you are sure to enter the site despite the warning. WOR ratings are based o user inputs.

WOT indicates by color if a website is trustworthy or not. Green is safe and red is dangerous.

More tips on the succeeding articles of this blog. Happy and Safe surfing to everyone!

SCAM: My First Scam Text This Year; 850000 Pesos from GMA Kapuso Foundation

It's a brand new year for everyone, including local scammers. And despite all the efforts by PLDT and Globe Telecom to curb text message scammers, from time to time, they still creep out and show up in our inboxes. And as hard to believe as the messages of winning some great amounts of money is the fact that there are still people who believe them. I personally know someone and that scam text message triggered events that turn her life upside down. So my point is, we still need to be careful regarding these scam messages. The danger is real! So without further ado, here's the scam message I received a few days ago. On Sunday, January 7, 2018 at exactly 3:33PM (PH time), I received this message from a certain Atty. Jhon Acosta with phone number 09552962911 Congratulations! Ursim# Hadwon PHP850,000 From(GMA KAPUSO FOUNDATION) To Claim Send Ur (NAME/ADD/AGE) &Call Me Now Im Atty;JHON ACOSTA DTI#0391s2018 Thankyou, Do Not Ever Reply Obviously, this is a...

How Much Does a MRI Scan Costs in the Philippines?

My dad needs a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan for his prostate problem. I did a little research on how much does it cost to have one. Well, it depends on many factors, such as which body part is to be scanned. There's also this technique called "MRI with contrast," wherein the patient will be injected with a chemical to make the scan clearer. For your information, this technique of adding contrast is known as Gadolinium Contrast Medium . It adds cost to the procedure, but with more clarity, the more you can trust the diagnosis. MRI Machine KasugaHuang , CC BY-SA 3.0 , Link So, in my father's case, we had a Prostate MRI, and I assume it was without contrast since he was never injected with the "contrast" chemicals. We got it in i-Scan Healthcare Inc. here in Quezon City. The cost is 13000 Pesos . Please take note that the amount was just for the scan, and a separate professional will read the result. Some laboratories offer this service (i....

How to Apply For SSS Salary Loan Online?

Here's a very short tutorial on the step-by-step procedure on how to apply for a Salary Loan from Social Security System (SSS) using their online facility. But before you apply, make sure that you are eligible. Here's the eligibility requirements: Only currently employed, currently contributing self-employed or voluntary member is qualified to avail of the salary loan program: For a one-month loan, the member-borrower must have 36 posted monthly contributions, six (6) of which should be within the last 12 months prior to the month of filing of application. For a two-month loan, the member-borrower must have 72 posted monthly contributions, six (6) of which should be within the last 12 months prior to the month of filing of application. The member-borrower must be under sixty-five (65) years of age at the time of application (SSC Res. No. 434 dated 09 November 2005). The member-borrower has not been disqualified due to fraud committed against the SSS. If you are eligib...

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