November 10, 2008

Technology exists to make life easier. The Internet lets you make travel arrangements, manage your investments, get loans and order products and services around the world, all from your home computer.

But it also provides a portal for hackers and identity thieves.

The Federal Trade Commission reports that 53 percent of all fraud complaints last year cited the Internet -- Web sites and e-mail -- as the method of initial contact.

“Criminals are using technology to commit these crimes against consumers,” said Mary Clement, director of the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs. “So, it really would behoove consumers to grow as well-versed in the risks of the Internet as possible. There are tools they can use to grow more secure.”

The Division of Consumer Affairs offers these tips for staying safe online:
1 Keep your anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewalls current. Your security settings and software are critical to keeping computer hackers from gaining access to your computer.
2 Don’t save personal information, including resumes or financial records, on your hard drive. Save them to a disk or thumb drive. Ask yourself what a hacker could find out about you if he accessed your stored documents.
3 Use passwords or answers to security questions that only you would know. A little research on the Internet can help thieves find the answers to common security questions, such as your mother’s maiden name. Make up an answer that only you would know.
4 Know whom you’re dealing with. Don’t click on links that are listed in an e-mail to you. Instead, type in the Web address you normally use for that site. Thieves often send fraudulent mass e-mails in an attempt to gain your personal information.
5 Be cautious shopping online. Some fraudulent sites exist for the sole purpose of collecting your information. Make sure you can physically locate the business if you experience a problem, and check to make sure a Web site is secure before putting in your credit-card or bank information.

For practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry, visit www.OnGuardOnline.gov. This Web site is designed to help consumers understand more about Internet fraud, securing their computers and protecting their personal information.

To file a complaint against a business, contact the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs at www.tn.gov.consumer or 1-800-342-8385.

About Fountainhead College of Technology's (FCT) Center for Information Assurance & Cybersecurity Training (IACT)

Fountainhead College of Technology, formerly Tennessee Institute of Electronics, was founded in 1947 and is committed to using it resources to significantly contribute to efforts to secure the nation's critical infrastructure. In 1999 the college began offering an associate's degree in Information Technology with curriculum developed to include information security training. In 2002 the college began development of a baccalaureate degree in Network Security and Forensics; and in 2003 Fountainhead College of Technology became the first college in the southeast to offer a computer security focused baccalaureate degree. The mission of the IACT center is to develop and maintain a strong information assurance curriculum that adheres to national standards, and to also address the cybersecurity needs of the community by offering training and support for Fountainhead College of Technology students, staff, and faculty; local law enforcement; government agencies; and information technology professionals.

For more information, please visit the official IACT website at: http://www.iawire.org, or contact Casey Rackley, Program Coordinator at casey.rackley [at] fountainheadcollege [dot] edu .