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......affiliated with the authors of this page or responsible for its content. Internet Safety Office of the Attorney General Internet Safety AUGUST 2005 L AWRENCE W ASDEN Attorney General Statehouse Boise, ID 83720-0010 www.ag.idaho.gov State of Idaho
Office of Attorney General
Lawrence Wasden Dear Fellow Idahoan: The Internet is an exciting tool that puts vast amounts of
information at your fingertips. With the click of a mouse, you
can buy airline tickets, use research tools, chat with friends or
play interactive games. But there are also risks on the Internet, so its important to be
cyber-smart and make your experience online a safe one. It is
critically important that parents supervise their childrens
Internet use. As weve seen all too often, trusting children
are particularly vulnerable to sexual predators and other
cyber-criminals. When you go online, keep in mind your personal and
financial safety, security and privacy. You should also take a
cautious approach to online business opportunities and be
wary of Internet scams and computer viruses. My office has prepared this publication to help you safely
enjoy the Internet. I hope you find it helpful. LAWRENCE G. WASDEN
Attorney General Table Of Contents SAFETY AND SECURITY........................................................ 1 SHOPPING ONLINE ................................................................. 1 U SE A SECURE BROWSER ............................................................ 1 S HOP WITH COMPANIES YOU KNOW ............................................ 2 K EEP A PAPER COPY OF YOUR PURCHASE ................................... 3 PASSWORDS.............................................................................. 4 E-MAIL........................................................................................ 5 A DVANCE F EE S CAM .................................................................. 5 P HISHING OR V ERIFICATION S CAM ......................................... 8 I NTERNATIONAL L OTTERY S CAM ............................................. 10 S PAM .................................................................................... 11 CHILD SAFETY....................................................................... 13 PRIVACY .................................................................................. 15 P ERSONAL INFORMATION ......................................................... 15 P RIVACY POLICIES .................................................................... 15 S ITE SECURITY ......................................................................... 16 C OOKIES .................................................................................. 16 P HARMING ............................................................................... 17 S PYWARE ................................................................................. 18 ONLINE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES .............................. 20 I NTERNET B USINESS S CAMS ..................................................... 21 COMPUTER VIRUSES ........................................................... 23 W HAT IS A VIRUS ?.................................................................... 23 H OW DOES A COMPUTER GET A VIRUS ? .................................... 23 H OW DO YOU REMOVE A VIRUS ? .............................................. 24 P REVENTIVE M AINTENANCE .................................................... 25 APPENDIX A ............................................................................ 25 O NLINE R ESOURCES ................................................................. 25 APPENDIX B ............................................................................ 28 G LOSSARY ............................................................................... 28 SAFETY AND SECURITY The Internet has opened a new world for many people.
Information, communication and shopping at distant
retail outlets are readily available. Yet there are serious
risks associated with e-mail, browsing, and doing
business online. One of the greatest risks is that the Internet is an
anonymous place with no face-to-face contact. Thieves
and predators take advantage of this anonymity and
pretend to be someone other than who they really are. These tips can help ensure your safety on the Internet. SHOPPING ONLINE Use a secure browser A browser is the software you use to explore the
Internet. Your browser should comply with industry
security standards, such as Secure Electronic
Transaction (SET). These standards encrypt or scramble
the purchase information you send over the Internet,
ensuring the security of your transaction. Most
computers come with a secure browser already installed. You can determine whether your browser is secure from
your web browser window. Select the HELP menu
option and then select ABOUT. The information pop-
up window will display the encryption level. 1 If you do not have a secure browser, there are many to
choose from. The most common browsers include
Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer.
You can download these browsers free from the
Internet. When shopping online, it is also very important that you
are buying from a secure web site. See Site Security
on page 16 for more information. Shop with companies you know Anyone can set up a business under almost any name on
the Internet. If you are not familiar with a business,
look for a physical address, a phone number and an e-
mail address. Contact the business and ask for a
brochure or catalog of merchandise and services.
Request a copy of the businesss refund and return
policy. Contact the Better Business Bureau and the
Consumer Protection Agency in the businesss home
state to find out what kind of track record the business
has. If you are purchasing an item from an Internet
auction, check the sellers feedback rating. Before you make a purchase, make sure that you know
what you are paying for. Review the description, price
information, and any limitations on purchases (for
example goods may not be available for delivery outside
of the country; there may be minimum quantities that
must be ordered; etc.) 2 Review the fine print and look for words such as
refurbished, close-out, discontinued or off-
brand. Check whether the price is listed in U.S. dollars or
another currency. Review the requirements for taxes or
duty on purchases, as well as postage costs and shipping
and handling charges. Review the companys privacy policy. The policy
should state what information is collected, how it will be
used, and whether the information will be shared with
others. If you have questions about the item or any of the
charges or policies, e-mail or phone the seller. Keep a paper copy of your purchase When you order something over the Internet, keep a
printed copy of your purchase order, receipt, or
confirmation number. A paper record will help resolve
problems with your purchase. If you pay by credit card or debit card, your transaction
is protected under the Fair Credit Billing Act. This
federal law gives consumers the right to dispute charges
under certain circumstances and to temporarily withhold
payment on the disputed charges while an investigation
is done. If you pay by credit card or debit card, there are
protections for unauthorized payments under the federal
Electronic Fund Transfer Act. For more information on 3 these laws, contact the Attorney Generals Consumer
Protection Unit. If you are purchasing an item from an Internet auction
and the seller does not accept credit cards, consider
using an escrow service. If the seller only accepts
cashiers checks or money orders, decide whether you
are willing to take the risk of sending your money before
you receive the product. Be sure to take steps to protect
your privacy do not give out personal and sensitive
information such as your Social Security number,
drivers license number or bank account number. The federal Mail or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule
also covers purchases made over the Internet. Unless
otherwise indicated, this rule requires that the
merchandise must be delivered within 30 days. The
company must notify you if the merchandise cannot be
delivered within that time frame. PASSWORDS Many websites require you to register and create a
password for future access. When creating a password,
the National Crime Prevention Council suggests you
mix numbers with upper and lowercase letters, or use a
word that is not found in the dictionary. Avoid using
personally identifiable information such as your phone
number, birth date, or a portion of your Social Security
number. 4 It is also a good idea to use a different password for each
Internet site you use. Keep your passwords in a secure place. Do not have
your computer remember your passwords unless you
are the only person with access to your computer. E-MAIL The major difference between e-mail and the old
fashioned kind of mail is privacy. Think of e-mail as a
postcard rather than a sealed letter. Your e-mail can be
intercepted, either intentionally or unintentionally, at
many points along its path. So while e-mail is a great
way to stay in touch, it might not be a great way to send
confidential information. Criminals are increasingly using e-mail as a tool for
fraud. Some of the common scams are: 1. Advance Fee Scam 2. Phishing or Verification Scam 3. International Lottery Scam Advance Fee Scam Advance Fee Scams include requests for your personal
bank account information or asking you to pay an
advance fee for taxes, attorney fees, and other
transactional costs in order to receive a benefit or
money. Advance Fee scams include: 5 1. Disbursement of money from wills 2. Contract fraud 3. Real estate transactions 4. Conversion of currency 5. Transfer of funds 6. Sale of crude oil at below market prices One common example is the Nigerian Money Scam.
In this scam, youll receive an urgent request to help
someone get his or her money out of Nigeria (or another
country). You may receive official looking documents
to support the request, stating that it is from an official
representing a foreign government or agency. These
requests may appear to be personally addressed to you,
but in fact they are sent out in mass mailings. Theyll
offer you a large amount of money if they can move the
money through your bank account. Of course, theyll
ask for your account number. If they get it, they will
empty the account. They may also ask you to pay in
advance for taxes, attorney fees, and other transactional
costs in order to transfer the money into your account. If you receive e-mails (or faxes or letters) similar to
either of these scams: 1. Do not respond. 2. Destroy the e-mail, fax or letter. 6 3. If you have become a victim of this scam - that is, if you have provided your bank account number
or other personally identifying information or if
you have lost money - notify the United States
Secret Service. Write to: U.S. Secret Service, Financial Crimes
Division, 245 Murray Drive, Building 410, Washington,
DC 20223. E-mail complaints can be sent to the Secret
Service at 419.fcd@usss.treas.gov . When you contact the Secret Service, be sure to include a copy of the
original e-mail. You can also call the national office at
202-406-5708 or the Boise office at 208-334-1403. Another example of advance fee scams involves
overpayment of a purchase. You may become a target of this scam if you are selling
an item over the Internet. The purchaser will
mistakenly send you a check for more than the
purchase price and ask you to send back the difference.
The problem is that the check the purchaser sends you
is counterfeit. You will lose the money you sent back
and the amount of the counterfeit check. To avoid being victim to an overpayment scam, you
should: 1. Confirm the buyers name, address and telephone number. 7 2. Refuse to accept a check for more than your selling price. If the buyer sends a check over the
amount due, return the check and ask for a check
in the correct amount. Do not send the
merchandise until you receive the correct amount. 3. Consider an alternative source of payment such as an escrow service or online payment service. Be
sure to verify that the escrow service or online
payment service is legitimate by reviewing its
website; reviewing its policies and terms and
conditions; calling its customer service line; and
checking with the Better Business Bureau or the
Attorney Generals Consumer Protection Unit to
see if there are complaints against the service. 4. Not wire funds back to the buyer. Phishing or Verification Scam If you are a target of this scam, you will receive an e-
mail or pop-up message that appears to be from a trusted
company. These e-mails and messages often contain
color graphics and look just like the companys Internet
site. The e-mail or message will indicate that the company
needs to verify information for its records and will ask
you to provide your credit card number, automatic teller
PIN number, Social Security number and/or other
confidential information. This scam is also known as
phishing. 8 The Attorney Generals Office has seen fraudulent
e-mails that appear to be from well-known companies
including PayPal, E-Bay and MBNA, a major credit
card company. These e-mails are fraudulent. They are
not from these companies. The sender is trying to get
information that can be used to steal your identity or
your money. The companies with whom you do business already
have the information they need. Legitimate companies
will not contact you by e-mail to verify information you
have already provided. If you receive e-mails (or faxes, letters or phone calls)
similar to this scam you should: 1. NEVER PROVIDE THE INFORMATION REQUESTED. 2. Find the e-mail address of the real company and forward the e-mail to the companys security or
fraud department. Or, you can call the company
using a telephone number you know to be
genuine. 3. Delete the e-mail from your computer. Do not click on any link in a suspicious e-mail. Log on
to website accounts by opening a new browser
window and typing the URL website address
directly into the address bar. Do not copy and
paste the URL link from the message into your
address bar. 9 4. Only use secure websites to submit sensitive or personal information. Look for the lock or key icon at the bottom of your browser and a URL with an address that begins with
https. 5. Review credit card and bank account statements regularly to determine whether there are any
unauthorized charges. 6. Maintain up-to-date anti-virus software. Some phishing e-mails contain viruses. Consider
installing firewall protection. You can report phishing to the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC). Forward the e-mail to spam@uce.gov . If you believe that you have been injured (lost money, had your identity stolen, etc.) by
phishing, you can file a complaint with the FTC at www.ftc.gov . International Lottery Scam Another common scam is the International Lottery
Scam. This scam uses e-mail, direct mail and the
telephone to entice you to purchase chances in
international lotteries. When you send money to
purchase a lottery ticket, many scam operators do not
buy the promised tickets. Instead, they simply keep the
money for themselves. Other operators will buy some
tickets and keep any winnings for themselves.
Operators will often make unauthorized withdrawals 10 from your bank account or make unauthorized charges
to your credit card. If you purchase a ticket from one of these scam
operators, theres a good chance they will put your name
on a list of potential victims and sell it to fraudulent
telemarketers and other scammers who will try to sell
you other bogus offers for lottery and investment
opportunities. If you receive a solicitation to purchase international
lottery tickets: 1. Do not respond to the solicitation. 2. If the solicitation is by telephone, file a complaint with the Attorney Generals Consumer Protection
Unit. 3. If the solicitation is by direct mail, give the letter to your local postmaster. 4. If the solicitation is by e-mail, delete the e-mail. Spam Spam is the e-mail version of junk mail: unwanted e-
mail messages from people you do not know seeking to
sell you a product or service. Spammers get your e-mail
from places such as websites, chat rooms, membership
directories, and newsgroup postings. To reduce the amount of spam you receive, you should: 11 1. Consider having two e-mail addresses. One e-mail address can be used for personal messages and the
other address can be used for newsgroups and
other purposes. Or, one address can be used as
your permanent e-mail address and the other
can be considered disposable. 2. Review privacy policies before submitting your e- mail address to a website. Some websites will
allow you to opt out of receiving offers or e-
mails from another business or having your
address sold to another business. 3. Use an e-mail filter. Your e-mail account may have a tool to filter out potential spam or a
method of channeling spam into a bulk e-mail
folder. The Federal CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 requires
spammers to allow you to opt out from receiving
future e-mails. Many people, however, report that they
receive additional e-mails from other spammers after
they ask to be removed from one spammers list. You
can report spammers that do not honor your opt out
request to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by
filling out a complaint form at www.ftc.gov . You can also forward unwanted or deceptive messages
to the FTC at spam@ftc.gov or complain to the spammers Internet service provider. Be sure to include 12 a copy of the message and header information and state
that you are complaining about spam. CHILD SAFETY The Internet offers great educational and entertainment
opportunities for children. It also offers great danger,
most notably from sexual predators. Because of their trusting nature, children are particularly
vulnerable in Internet chat rooms. Child predators
know this and often pose as children in order to gain the
trust and confidence of a potential victim. There have been many cases in Idaho in which a child
has been lured to meet with an on line friend who
turns out to be an adult and a sex offender. Here are some Internet safety tips for parents and kids: 1. Communicate. Talk to your child about the potential hazards of the Internet. Regularly have
them show you the websites they visit. Get to
know their online friends just as you would their
regular friends. 2. Keep the computer in a central room. Its harder to keep a secret when parents can regularly see
what their child is doing online. 3. Use parental controls and/or blocking software. Most Internet service providers (ISP) provide 13 graduated levels of parental controls that block
access to certain adult-oriented sites. Many
software packages on the market are also
effective. 4. Keep track of the websites viewed by your children by checking the web browser history
files and cache. 5. Maintain access to your childs account and randomly check e-mail. At first, you may feel
that you are invading your childs privacy. Think
of it another way. If your child received letters or
phone calls from a stranger, would you ask who
that person is? 6. Teach your children not to give out any information about themselves. Predators can use
seemingly insignificant information (for example,
hobbies, school or age) to identify and locate a
child. 7. Report inappropriate online activities. Notify the police immediately if an online contact tries to set
up a meeting with your child. 8. Do not allow your children to use chat rooms. Even seemingly safe kids chat rooms can be
dangerous. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
has assembled a very useful, informative and fun 14 Internet safety program for parents and kids. Youll find
it at www.netsmartz.org . PRIVACY Some Internet sites may share information about you
with affiliates. They may also sell your personal
information. Before you provide information to an
Internet site, decide what personal information you want
to keep private and what information you are willing to
have released. If you are concerned about privacy, consider these tips. Personal information Never give out your Social Security or drivers license
numbers over the Internet. Do not disclose other personal information such as your
address, telephone number, or e-mail address, unless
you have researched a companys privacy policy and
know the company has a good reputation. Even then,
find out exactly what information is being collected and
how the company will use it. Many companies are
joined with other affiliates or partners that have full
access to their customer files. Teach your children not to give out personal or family
information online. Privacy policies 15 Many companies post their privacy policy on their
Internet site. If you are unable to locate a companys
privacy policy, send an e-mail or written request for a
copy. Read the policy carefully before you give a site your
personal information. Check to see if the company will
transfer the personal information you provide to
affiliates or other businesses or organizations. Site security Before conducting any transactions online, verify that
the companys website is secure. A secure website
means the company has taken precautions to ensure that
others cannot intercept information. You will always
see a padlock or key icon in the lower corner of the screen when a site is secure. Make sure your browser has the most up-to-date
encryption capabilities. Also, look for the phrase
https: in the URL. Cookies Cookies are pieces of data an Internet site places on
the hard drive of your computer. Cookies originate from
the sites you visit. In effect, cookies record your digital
comings and goings. 16 Cookies can only be read by the web server that
originated the cookie. Other web servers cannot intercept cookies. Cookies perform many functions, including serving as
navigational tools or as a means for searching the
Internet. Cookies also keep track of goods you intend to
purchase but set aside while you finish shopping a
website. Cookies can collect and transfer a great deal of
information about you and your interests every time you
go online even when you dont go to the checkout or
log off. Both Netscape Navigator and Microsoft browsers allow
you to block cookies or prompt you before a cookie is
downloaded to your computer. However, by
disallowing cookies, you may reduce or even eliminate
your browsing options in many websites. Visit www.cookiecentral.com for more information about cookies, including how to remove cookies from
your browser completely. Pharming Pharming involves the redirection of an Internet user
from a legitimate commercial website to a bogus
website. Pharmers set up bogus sites and shuttle users
from legitimate websites by altering the domain name
system or transmitting a virus. 17 The bogus website will look the same as the legitimate
website. When you enter your login name or
identification and password, pharmers obtain the
information for their own use. This can occur even
when you type the correct URL. You can take steps to avoid being a victim of pharming: 1. Maintain up-to-date antivirus software. 2. Consider installing anti-spyware software and firewalls. 3. Be careful when entering personal or sensitive information into a website. Be sure to look for
the lock or key icon at the bottom of your browser. 4. Review websites closely. If the website has changed since your last visit, be suspicious. If
you have any doubt about the website, do not use
it. Spyware Spyware is software that is installed on your computer
without your consent. Spyware monitors or controls
your computer use without your knowledge. It is also
called adware. Spyware is often used to send you pop-
up advertisements, direct you to certain websites,
monitor your internet surfing, and even to record your
keystrokes. Spyware can lead to identity theft. 18 You may have spyware installed on your computer if
you experience problems such as numerous pop-up
advertisements; a browser that takes you to sites other
than those that you typed into the address bar; sudden or
repeated change in your home page; new or unexpected
toolbars or icons at the bottom of your computer screen;
keys that no longer work; random error messages; or
slow performance when opening programs or saving
files. To prevent the installation of spyware: 1. Keep your operating system and browser software up-to-date. 2. Do not download software from sites you do not know and trust. 3. Do not install software without knowing exactly what it is. Read the end-user license agreement
before you install software. 4. Set your browser security setting to a high level and keep it updated. 5. Do not click on links within pop-up windows. Close pop-up windows only by clicking the x
icon in the title bar. 6. Do not click on links in spam that offers anti- spyware software. Many of these are fraudulent
and actually install spyware onto your computer. 19 7. Consider installing a firewall. ONLINE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES The Internet also offers many business opportunities. If
you find one that interests you, be sure to thoroughly
investigate the company before you sign up. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) advises that you: Understand that seminar consultants are often
in business to sell you a business opportunity
rather than to teach you Internet basics. In some
cases, they may seek to exploit your lack of
experience with computers or the Internet. Investigate all earnings claims. Talk to others who
have purchased the opportunity to see whether
their experience supports the companys claims. Demand to see the companys claims and
promises in writing. Ask for a disclosure document. The FTC
Franchise Rule requires most business
opportunities to provide a disclosure document.
The disclosure document should contain detailed
information to help you compare one business
with another. 20 Contact your local Better Business Bureau and/or
the consumer protection agency in the state where
the business is located. Ask if complaints have
been filed against the business. Internet Business Scams The Internet has been used to perpetrate a variety of
scams. Consumers have complained about some of the
following items relating to the Internet: Auctions: You receive an item that is not what
was represented, less valuable than promised, or
you receive nothing at all. Sometimes sellers fail
to deliver in a timely manner or fail to disclose all
the relevant information about the product or
terms of sale. Internet access services: You cash a check you
received from a business and are then locked into
a long-term contract for Internet access or another
web service, with penalties for cancellation or
early termination. Work at home offers: You are offered the chance
to earn big bucks by working at home or
starting a new business. In fact, you will work
many hours without pay and you may have to pay
costs up front. 21 Advance fee loans: You are offered loans for a
fee, regardless of your past credit history. These
offers are often a way to collect money without
providing legitimate loans. General merchandise sales: You do not receive
the merchandise, it is not the value or quality
promised or you are charged extra fees. Travel Offers: You are offered luxury trips at
bargain prices and receive lower quality
accommodations and services or none at all, or
you are charged extra fees. Pyramids, multilevel marketing and chain letters:
You are offered the chance to make money
through selling products and services and
bringing others into the program. Neither you nor
the people who brought you into the program
make any money. Many of these programs are
illegal. Weight loss claims: You are offered a miracle
treatment, but instead are sold worthless or
sometimes even dangerous products. Credit repair offers: You are offered the chance to
erase accurate negative information from your
credit records. These offers are false. 22 Adult entertainment offers: You are offered the
chance to view adult images free if you share
your credit card number to prove you are over 18
years of age. Or, you are offered free access to
adult material by downloading a viewer or dialer
computer program. You should expect to have
charges placed on your credit card. You may
later receive international long distance charges
on your phone bill for international modem
dialing. Web cramming: You are offered a free website
for a trial period, and are later charged on your
phone bill or receive invoices for the websites. Investment opportunities: You will be offered a
ground floor opportunity or promised big
profits in a short time. You will be charged
advance fees or receive no legitimate investment
at all. Be wary of investments that state that they
are IRS approved or are tax-free and
confidential. COMPUTER VIRUSES What is a virus? A virus is a file or program planted in your computer
without your knowledge. Its purpose is to damage files
and disrupt your computer. How does a computer get a virus? 23 Most viruses are spread by file attachments sent through
e-mail or on a floppy disk, CD, DVD or removable
media. When you use an infected file on your computer,
the virus copies itself onto your hard drive. Some
viruses strike and cause problems immediately. Others
remain inactive until a specific program is used or until
a certain date occurs. Viruses spread very rapidly. If you find that your
computer has been infected, you should assume that
every file and computer that you have used is also
infected. Failure to scan and disinfect every disk and
computer will almost guarantee that the virus will re-
infect your computer or network. How do you remove a virus? Typically, viruses can be removed only by using anti-
virus software or by re-formatting the infected hard
drive. If you suspect that your computer is infected with
a virus, you will need to research anti-virus software and
purchase the appropriate package. Some popular brand
names include Norton, McAfee and Kapersky. Once your anti-virus software is installed, there are
options to restore or repair damaged information and
remove any harmful files that were saved to your
computer. There is a chance, however, that you may
have lost data that cannot be retrieved. You can reduce
this risk by frequently making back ups of your
personal data. 24 Preventive Maintenance Make sure that all computers have anti-virus
software installed. Update your virus definition files from the anti-
virus software manufacturers website at least
once a week. Scan e-mail attachments before you open them
and scan floppy disks before you allow them on
your computer. Do not download files sent to you
by people you do not know. Back up your personal data frequently and on a
regular schedule. Make back ups on CD media,
Zip drive or floppy disks, not on your main hard
drive. APPENDIX A Online Resources Youll find more information about Internet safety at
these Internet sites. www.ag.idaho.gov This publication is available on the Attorney
Generals website. The Attorney Generals site
also contains publications on other consumer
protection issues. 25 www.fraud.org The National Consumers League provides advice
about the Internet and Internet fraud. You can
report suspected scams with an online form. www.netsmartz.org The National Center for Missing & Exploited
Children provides child safety information for
parents and children. www.consumer.gov This federal agency website provides consumer
information and publications. www.pueblo.gsa.gov The Consumers Resource Handbook, available
on this federal government website, lists local,
state and federal agencies, major trade
associations, and consumer groups. www.bbbonline.org The Better Business Bureau reliability program
for participating online merchants links to a
central BBB site for reports about businesses and
information on how to contact individual BBBs
across the United States. www.ftc.gov The Federal Trade Commission offers online
pamphlets relating to Internet shopping, Internet 26 and e-mail scams, online business opportunities,
and additional consumer topics. The FTC also
offers an online complaint form for consumers
who encounter problems within the marketplace. 27 APPENDIX B Glossary The Internet has its own terminology. Here are a few
key terms. Adware Adware is software that is installed on your
computer without your consent. Adware monitors or
controls your computer use without your knowledge. It
is also called spyware. Attachment A file that is sent with an e-mail
message. Browser A browser is the program that requests
Internet documents from a server and displays these
documents on your screen. More than likely the
program you are using at home is a web browser.
Popular browsers include Netscape Navigator, Lynx,
and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Cookie Small files placed on the hard drive of your
computer by some websites that you visit. Download Copying files from the Internet to your computer. E-mail or electronic mail Messages, similar to letters,
sent or received through the Internet. E-mail can be
addressed to one person or a group of people. 28 Encryption An algorithm, used to scramble data,
which makes the data unreadable to everyone except the
recipient. E-commerce sites often use encryption to
secure credit card data. Secure websites use encryption. Hyperlink An electronic connection that
automatically takes you from one website to another.
For example, the Attorney Generals website provides a
hyperlink to the Consumer Protection page on its site. Internet commerce (e-commerce) Buying and selling
goods and services over the Internet. Transactions take
place between businesses and consumers through a
computer network. Modem A hardware device that uses telephone or cable lines to connect your computer to the Internet or
allows you to communicate with other computers. Pharming Pharming involves the redirection of an Internet user from a legitimate commercial website to a
bogus website. Pharmers set up bogus sites and
shuttle users from legitimate websites by altering the
domain name system or transmitting a virus. Phishing Phishing is a scam intended to obtain your
passwords and other personal and confidential
information that can be used to steal your identity.
Phishing is conducted by fraudulently sending an e-
mail that appears to be from a legitimate business.
Usually the e-mail will contain a link to a fake (but
legitimate-looking) Internet site. If you log on to the 29 fraudulent site, the phishers will capture your user ID
and password enabling them to access your account. Search engine A program that searches the Internet
for specified keywords or phrases and returns a list of
the documents containing the keywords or phrases.
Google, Excite, and Yahoo are some well-known search
engines. Spam Spam is the e-mail version of junk mail:
unwanted e-mail messages from people you do not
know seeking to sell you a product or service. Spyware Spyware is software that is installed on your
computer without your consent. Spyware monitors or
controls your computer use without your knowledge. It
is also called adware. URL Uniform Resource Locator. This is the address
of a specific website. You can type the URL into your
computer to take you directly to that site on the Internet.
For example, www.ag.idaho.gov is the URL address for the Office of the Attorney General. Virus A file planted in your computer that can damage
files and disrupt your computer. Website An Internet destination where you can look at
and retrieve data. 30 Funds collected by the Attorney Generals Consumer
Protection Unit as the result of enforcement actions paid
for this pamphlet. No tax monies were used to pay for
this publication. The Consumer Protection Unit enforces Idahos
consumer protection laws, provides information to the
public on consumer issues, and offers an informal
mediation process for individual consumer complaints. If you have a consumer problem or question, please call
208-334-2424 or in-state toll-free 1-800-432-3545. TDD
access and Language Line translation services are
available. The Attorney Generals web site is available
at www.ag.idaho.gov .