Protect Yourself Online

Your guide to defending yourself against Internet fraud.

Worried about pharming, skimming, screen scraping, or phishing? Stay one step ahead of online ID thieves by keeping informed of the latest news and scams. The following websites can help:

OnGuard Online
For practical tips on protecting yourself each time you head online, check out this site's fact sheets on a wide range of topics from spyware to participating in Internet auctions. The site is the joint effort of half a dozen federal agencies and a number of technology industry groups.

www.consumer.gov/idtheft
The Federal Trade Commission's site offers advice on how to guard against identity theft. If you've been victimized, you can file a complaint and find out how to place a fraud alert on your credit report.

Internet Crime Complaint Center
You can report Internet crimes on this site, developed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National White Collar Crime Center. It also lists prevention tips and an overview of crime schemes.

EPIC (Electronic Privacy Information Center)
Concerned about how your personal information is being tracked or used? Check out this research center's site, which publishes the latest news about personal privacy issues.

World Privacy Forum
This nonprofit focuses on several aspects of consumer privacy, such as medical and financial privacy, public records, consumer data, and the rights of job applicants.

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