Social networking Web sites like Facebook and MySpace are a great way to find old classmates, stay connected with friends, or make new friends. Unfortunately, hackers are using Web sites like these to infect computers and steal the identities of these innocent web browsers.
Here are some steps to preventing his from happening to you.
Prevention Steps:
- Be extremely wary of messages from friends or strangers that direct the user to another Web site via a hyperlink.
- Before wiring money to a friend in a jam, users should attempt to contact their friend outside of the social networking site, such as over the phone or via e-mail to confirm the situation. If that’s not possible, ask them a question to which only they would know the answer.
- Users should always make sure their computer’s operating system’s antivirus and firewall software are up to date.
- Social networking sites are about sharing information, but it is best to keep information like phone numbers and addresses private.
- Be selective when choosing friends. While a user might not want to be rude, it’s best to decline a request for friendship if the user doesn’t actually know the person.
