This Article/Post/Blog is from Club Symantec. Read on.

When I first read this article on Club Symantec, I had to post it here.

How Cybercrime Threatens You

Cybercrime is on the rise. Identity theft now hits 1 in 5 of us. 

These are tough odds to beat unless you take the right precautions. 

Even U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke wasn't immune to 

being hit. Don't let yourself be the next target.

To help keep the bad guys at bay, we’ve outlined a few pointers for you.

Who are these cyber criminals?

Maybe you think the majority of them are bored teenagers out for harmless kicks, 

hacking and cracking their way to bragging rights. Don't be fooled. Many 

of today's cybercriminals are Mafia-style hardened criminals living abroad. 

They've turned away from selling illegal drugs and set their sights on grabbing 

your financial information.

How do they access my private information?

Like hungry wolves lying in wait, these predators tend 

to hunt the easiest targets through the following:

Phishing - Here's a shocking statistic: 9 out of 10 of the world’s 

emails are fraudulent. It’s too easy a method for cybercriminals to ignore. 

Every spam message sent is essentially a lottery ticket to them. 

But you have to respond in order for them to cash out. 

"Phishing" through email refers to prompting you to enter private 

information (e.g., bank account, passwords, credit card, etc.) 

under false pretenses. Don’t fall prey to this. Think first: 

Would your bank or credit card really need your password? 

Of course not. They already have it.

Pharming - Pharming is another type of online sleight of hand. 

Here’s how it works: You're directed to an Internet site. 

Perhaps it’s an ecommerce store with fantastic prices. 

Maybe it's your bank or credit card's Web site. 

The URL checks out. Everything appears legit—but it isn't. 

Once you send your credit card information, you've been had. 

And to make matters even worse, 

you probably won't even realize this until weeks later.

Trojans - Just like the name implies, these are applications that 

disguise themselves as something else. They often appear on peer-to-peer 

file sharing networks, targeting those seeking free MP3s, movies, or software. 

Once installed, the dirty work begins.
Beware of downloading from dubious sources. 

Instead of grabbing that hot new game, 

you may have unwittingly opened your computer and 

all of your personal information up to the bad guys. Is this worth it?

How can cybercrime damage my life?

Identity theft victims spend an average of 58 hours recovering losses.

To a cybercriminal, your private info is essentially just a commodity 

to be sold on the black market. There, its monetary worth can be quite 

an eye-opener. To check the value of yours, click here for 

Norton's Risk Assessment Calculator. It's a free service we provide openly to you.

So how can I protect myself?

As we noted earlier, cybercriminals tend to target easy prey. 

Making it harder for them is your best defense.

• Update all of your software applications often
• Create strong, unique passwords and store them safely
• Do not respond to emails asking for private information
• Beware of "too good to be true" offers
• Install strong security software and keep it current

Conclusion

The Internet can be a wonderful tool if you keep safety in mind. But as with most things, 

applying a little common sense can go a long way, too. If an offer online seems too good 

to be true, it probably is.

Following the suggestions in this article, and safeguarding and protecting your computer 

with the all-in-one solution of Norton 360, can go a long way to kicking cybercriminals to 

the cyber curb. 

So for all you internet users out there, be careful where you surf.