The link above is a good summary of what you can do to protect yourself on the net. The part here about good safe passwords is especially important.
BTW, a good page to go to for regular cyber-security news: http://www.theregister.co.uk/security/
Recently in Security Help Category
Delivered-To: MY EMAIL ADDRESS (obviously not what it said but.... )
Thu, 16 Dec 2010 18:00:28 -0800 (PST)
Received: by 10.213.31.209 with SMTP id z17mr988261ebc.12.1292551226331;
Thu, 16 Dec 2010 18:00:26 -0800 (PST)
Return-Path: <info@qef.com>
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by with ESMTP id u50si7866327eei.24.2010.12.16.17.59.26;
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Received-SPF: neutral ( is neither permitted nor denied by best guess record for domain of info@qef.com) client-ip=58.147.168.10;
Authentication-Results: : 58.147.168.10 is neither permitted nor denied by best guess record for domain of info@qef.com) smtp.mail=info@qef.com
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Fri, 17 Dec 2010 07:46:39 +0600 (BDT)
From: "Queen Elizabeth Foundation" <info@qef.com>
Reply-To: deliverydpt@dishmail.net
Subject: YOUR PARCEL NOTIFICATION!!!
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 2010 07:46:39 +0600
Message-Id: <20101217013904.M62875@qef.com>
X-Mailer: OpenWebMail 2.53
X-OriginatingIP: 69.22.186.162 (mh.bunil)
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset=utf-8
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Dear customer,
This is to inform you that you have a Confirmed Package worth of $750,000.00 USD with us
from the Queen Elizabeth's Foundation, Reconfirm Your Full Name Postal Address: Country:
City and telephone Number: You are also to make payment of $275.00 US Dollars Only for
their immediate action. For the security keeping of your parcel before the parcel can be
delivery to you.
Contact Diplomat Agent: Mr. Philip Lewis with your parcel number (Parcel no.:
TPG1134421)
CONTACT AGENT
Diplomat Agent: Mr. Philip Lewis
Email: deliverydpt@dishmail.net
Telephone: +234-805-344-0311
Also note that if payment is not made delivery of the parcel will not proceed and also
be informed that no cash on delivery is cash before delivery.
Regards.
Mrs. Tracy Peterson
Queen Elizabeth's Foundation Officer
- Ask questions. Most knowledgeable people have compassion for those with less knowledge.
- Go to internet forums to ask those questions.
- An example of a help forum is this one: http://computerhelpforum.org/forum/portal.html
- Most forums require you to register to ask a question.
- Writing effective subject lines for your post will get you a lot more help. For example, typing "HELPPPPP" in the subject line may get you ignored. Typing "Mobo will not boot up, I'm new at this" will probably get you a lot of help.
- Usually the posters (people) at the forums will want exact details about your hardware (your physical equipment like your processor and RAM and hard drives, etc) and software. If you don't know that information, download this program and use it for free: Everest AIDA64 It will tell you exactly what is "in your computer".
- RTFM. That practice alone will save you untold hours of frustration.
- Backup your data (files, documents, photos, etc) daily, or at least weekly. HDD's (hard drive disks or hard drives) do fail, especially after a few years of usage.
- If you get too frustrated working on something, turn your box off and go relax for a while or at least do something else. That really helps.
- Even computer experts have problems. You will have problems, so it's not always your fault.
- After 17+ years, I'm still learning things. "Old dogs" can learn new tricks.
- Obvious point, but it helps a lot if you are aware of exactly what you wish to do with your machine. Want to edit videos and movies ? You need to learn one skillset. Want to publish a blog ? Another specific skillset. Want to become an excellent PC (personal computer) gamer ? Another skillset. You get the point.
- Despite what anyone says, you do NOT have to have a huge one or two terabyte hard drive, unless you plan on saving a lot of digital video or digital audio. Text files don't take up much room usually, which includes emails.
- I encourage you to subscribe, or least read at your library, one or two computer-related magazines. My very first one was PC World. It's a great magazine and aimed at the lower to middle range knowledge level. I now read Maximum PC magazine, which is aimed more at the middle to higher knowledge level crowd with a heavy emphasis on gaming. There are other computer-related magazines, of course.
- Another great forum to ask questions is here.
- When I purchased my first PC in 1996, I literally knew almost nothing. I had to figure out how to get on the internet from scratch. First step was, attach the dial-up cable to the wall. I knew that little.
- People of any age can learn how to operate a Windows-based computer proficiently.
