万维网(World Wide Web)有数以百万计的网站 - 如此之多，以至于一个人的生命不足以访问所有网站！每一项发明或发现(invention or discovery)都被用于造福人类，也被滥用，这是人类的天性！这也适用于万维网(WWW)世界！如果有搜索引擎、社交社区、电子邮件等服务可以帮助您，那么还有垃圾邮件、软件下载、非法共享、成人内容(adult content)、间谍软件、恶意软件和病毒会伤害您。
避免网络诈骗
谨慎使用互联网永远不会伤害您！本文是我的一小步，可帮助您了解如何检查和了解网站是否安全，以及了解何时信任网站。
如果您不确定是否信任某个网站，请首先考虑以下几点：(If you’re not sure whether to trust a website, consider these points first:)
检查您是否访问了安全站点。(Check if are you visiting a secure site.)
如果您通过安全连接(secure connection)访问该网站，您将能够通过该网站的证书识别该网站。安全或加密的网站地址将以HTTPS而不是HTTP开头，并且您经常会在浏览器中看到某种图标，例如表明该网站是安全的挂锁。(padlock indicating)安全连接使用证书来识别网站并加密您的连接，以便黑客更难查看。
根据网站拥有的证书类型，您可以看到颁发证书的网站地址或公司地址(company address)。
- 扩展验证 (EV) 证书(Extended Validation (EV) certificates)将在某些浏览器中将地址栏变为绿色(address bar green)，并将包含网站所有者(website owner)的确认姓名和地址(name and address)。
- 非 EV 证书(Non-EV certificates)将包含网站地址或站点的域。如果您可以查看安全报告(security report)，并且它只显示网站的地址，请确保它是您要访问的地址。
- 网络钓鱼或欺诈网站(Phishing or fraudulent websites)通常会使用相似的网站名称来诱骗访问者相信他们正在访问受信任的网站。
证书由称为认证机构的公司颁发。Windows 包含最常见的证书颁发机构的列表。如果 Windows 无法识别证书的颁发者，则会出现一条警告消息。(Windows contains a list of the most common certification authorities. If Windows doesn’t recognize the issuer of the certificate, a warning message will appear. )但是，可以将 Windows 配置为信任任何证书颁发机构(certification authority)，因此当网站可能存在欺诈时，您不应仅仅依靠接收警告消息。(warning message)
阅读：(Read:)点击任何链接之前要采取的预防措施。
该网站已通过 Internet 信任组织的认证。(The website is certified by an Internet trust organization.)
互联网信托(Internet trust)组织是一家验证网站是否有隐私声明(privacy statement)（关于如何使用您的个人信息的张贴通知）以及该网站是否允许您选择他们如何使用您的信息的公司。互联网信任(Internet trust)组织批准的网站可以显示隐私认证(privacy certification)印章，通常在其主页或订单(home page or order forms)的某处。
但是，这些印章并不能保证(t guarantee)网站是值得信赖的；它只是意味着该网站符合Internet 信任组织(trust organization)可接受的条款。此外(Additionally)，一些不道德的网站可能会以欺诈方式显示信任徽标。(trust logos)如果您不确定信任徽标(trust logo)是否合法，请联系信任组织(trust organization)以查看该网站是否已向他们注册。
要了解有关这些信托组织的更多信息，您可以访问(To learn more about these trust organizations, you can go to the )TRUSTe网站、( website, the )BBB Online网站或( website, or the )WebTrust网站。( website. )Web of Trust是另一个不错的网站！您可以在此处查看Windows 俱乐部的(Windows Club)WOT 分数(WOT score)！
该网站归您熟悉的公司或组织所有。(The website is owned by a company or organization that you know well.)
例如，如果您从实体店购买商品并且对体验感到满意，您可能也想尝试该商店的网站。但是，即使您信任该公司，也请务必阅读网站的隐私或使用条款声明(use statement)。
有时公司的网站独立于其商店，并且可能有不同的隐私条款。寻找您不同意的条款，例如要求接受来自网站的电子邮件或广告，或者您的信息与公司的合作伙伴共享。如果您对条款或行为不满意（例如，您不想被跟踪或不想看到广告），请不要使用该网站。
该网站要求您提供个人信息。(The website is asking you for personal information.)
如果您被要求提供个人信息，例如信用卡号码(credit card number)或银行信息(bank information)，请仅在有充分理由的情况下提供。此外，请确保有用于记录信息的安全输入表。(entry form)查找说明信息将被加密的消息并检查锁定图标(lock icon)或确保网址(web address)以HTTPS :// 开头（如果两者都不存在，则不要输入机密信息）。另外，请尝试了解该网站关于存储信息的政策(s policy)：他们是否将您的信用卡号码(credit card number)存档？他们是否有合作伙伴可以共享信息(share information)和？在提供任何信息之前，您应该确信该网站正在正确、安全地使用您的信息。
在零售网站上，是否可以通过电话或邮件联系某人？(On a retail website, is there a way to contact someone by phone or mail?)
他们有电话号码(phone number)，如果您有问题可以拨打，或者您可以用来下订单吗？该网站是否列出街道地址(street address)？是否有已发布的退货政策(return policy)以及可接受的条款？如果该网站没有(site doesn)提供电话号码(phone number)或实际地址，请尝试通过电子邮件联系该公司以询问该信息。
在线欺诈商店(fraud store)看起来与受信任的商店相同，但您必须确保它是否存在。如果您不完全满意，请不要提前付款或向他们提供您的信用卡(Credit Card)详细信息。
示例欺诈在线商店(sample fraud online store)将如下所示（Keith-store.com）。网上欺诈商店大多以低价提供产品来吸引顾客，然后欺骗他们。
如果您不认识该网站，您是否有其他信息可以帮助您做出决定？(If you don’t recognize the site, do you have other information to help you decide?)
如果您不熟悉某个网站或它没有隐私认证印章(privacy certification seal)，则不一定意味着您不能信任它。向(Ask)可靠的朋友或同事询问有关该网站的信息。在Internet(Internet)上搜索对该站点的引用，以查看是否有来源（例如您信任的杂志或公司）引用了该站点。(magazine or company)阅读网站的隐私声明或其他披露（但请记住，网站可能不一定遵守它们）。
请记住以下几点，如果出现以下情况，网站可能不值得访问：(Keep the following points in mind, a website may not be trustworthy to visit, if:)
- 该网站是通过您不认识的人发来的电子邮件向您推荐的。
- 该网站提供令人反感的内容，例如色情或非法材料。
- 该网站提供的优惠看起来好得令人难以置信，表明可能存在诈骗或销售非法或盗版产品。
- 您被诱饵和转换计划引诱到该站点，其中产品或服务(product or service)不是您所期望的。
- 您被要求提供信用卡(credit card)作为身份验证或似乎不需要的个人信息。
- 您被要求提供信用卡号(credit card number)，而无需证明交易是安全的。
来源于微软(Microsoft)。
Prevent online identity thefts! Stay Safe Online & always protect your personal information while browsing.
说到诈骗，其中一些链接肯定会让您感兴趣。看看其中的一些：(Speaking of scams, some of these links are sure to interest you. Do have a look at some of them:)
- 避免(Avoid)欺诈性使用Microsoft 名称的诈骗(Microsoft name)
- 避免网络钓鱼诈骗和攻击
- 避免在线技术支持诈骗和 PC 清理解决方案(Avoid Online Tech Support Scams and PC Cleanup Solutions)
- 避免 Vishing 和 Smishing 诈骗
- 避免在线购物欺诈和假日季节诈骗(Avoid Online Shopping Fraud & Holiday Season Scams)
- 信用卡略读和密码盗窃欺诈(Credit Card Skimming and Pin Theft Fraud)
- 谨防税务诈骗
- 避免贝宝诈骗
- 谨防(Beware)虚假的在线就业和工作诈骗(Fake Online Employment and Job Scams)
- 避免网络鲶鱼社会工程诈骗(Avoid Internet Catfishing Social Engineering Scams)。
Secure yourself, avoid online scams and know when to trust a website!
The World Wide Web has millions of websitеѕ – so many that onе life is not enough to visit them all! It’s human nature that every invention or discovery has been used for the benefit of humankind and also misused! This also applies to the world оf WWW too! If there are serνices lіke search engines, social communities, emailing, etc. to help you, then there is also spamming, warez downloads, illegal sharіng, аdυlt content, spyware, malware, and viruses to harm you.
Avoid online scams
Using the internet carefully will never harm you! This article is my little step to help you to know how to check and know if a website is secure or not and to learn when to trust a website.
If you’re not sure whether to trust a website, consider these points first:
Check if are you visiting a secure site
If you are visiting the website with a secure connection, you will be able to identify the website through the site’s certificate. A secure or encrypted website address will begin with HTTPS rather than HTTP, and you will often see some sort of icon in the browser such as a padlock indicating that the website is secure. Secure connections use certificates to identify the website and to encrypt your connection so that it will be more difficult for a hacker to view.
Depending on the type of certificate the website has, you can see the website address or the company address that the certificate was issued to.
- Extended Validation (EV) certificates will turn the address bar green in some browsers and will contain a confirmed name and address for the website owner.
- Non-EV certificates will contain the website address or the domain of the site. If you can view a security report, and it only shows the website’s address, be sure it is the address you wanted to visit.
- Phishing or fraudulent websites will often use similar website names to trick visitors into believing they are visiting trusted sites.
Certificates are issued by companies called certification authorities. Windows contains a list of the most common certification authorities. If Windows doesn’t recognize the issuer of the certificate, a warning message will appear. However, Windows can be configured to trust any certification authority, so you should not rely solely on receiving a warning message when a website is potentially fraudulent.
Read: Precautions to take before you click on any link.
The website is certified by an Internet trust organization
An Internet trust organization is a company that verifies that a website has a privacy statement (a posted notification of how your personal information is used) and that the website gives you a choice of how they use your information. Websites approved by Internet trust organizations can display the privacy certification seals, usually somewhere on their home page or order forms.
However, these seals don’t guarantee that a website is trustworthy; it just means the website complies with the terms acceptable to the Internet trust organization. Additionally, some unscrupulous websites might display trust logos fraudulently. If you are not sure whether a trust logo is legitimate, contact the trust organization to see if the website is registered with them.
To learn more about these trust organizations, you can go to the TRUSTe website, the BBB Online website, or the WebTrust website. Web of Trust is another good website! You can check the WOT score for The Windows Club here!
The website is owned by a company or organization that you know well
For example, if you bought merchandise from a physical store and were happy with the experience, you might want to try the store’s website as well. However, even if you trust the company, always read the website’s privacy or terms of use statement.
Sometimes a company’s website is independent of its stores, and it might have different privacy terms. Look for terms you don’t agree with, such as requirements to accept email offers or advertising from the website, or that your information is shared with the company’s partners. If you are not comfortable with the terms or behaviors (for example, you do not want to be tracked or to see advertisements), do not use the site.
The website is asking you for personal information
If you are asked for personal information, such as credit card numbers or bank information, only provide it if there is a good reason to do so. Also, make sure there is a secure entry form for recording information. Look for a message stating that the information will be encrypted and check for a lock icon or ensure that the web address starts with HTTPS:// (do not enter confidential information if neither of these is present). Also, try to find out what the website’s policy is about storing information: Do they keep your credit card number on file? Do they have partners that they share information? You should be confident that the site is using your information properly and securely before providing any information.
On a retail website, is there a way to contact someone by phone or mail?
Do they have a phone number that you can call if you have a problem, or that you can use to place an order? Does the website list a street address? Is there a posted return policy with acceptable terms? If the site doesn’t provide a phone number or physical address, try contacting the company by email to ask for that information.
An online fraud store will look the same as a trusted one, but you must make sure that it will exist or not. If you are not fully satisfied, do not make any advance payments or give your Credit Card details to them.
A sample fraud online store will look like something like this (Keith-store.com). Online fraud stores mostly offer the products at low prices to attract customers and then cheats them.
If you don’t recognize the site, do you have other information to help you decide?
If you are not familiar with a website or it does not have a privacy certification seal, it might not necessarily mean that you cannot trust it. Ask reliable friends or colleagues about the site. Search for references to the site on the Internet to see if a source, such as a magazine or company that you do trust, has referred to it. Read the website’s privacy statements or other disclosures (but keep in mind that the site might not necessarily abide by them).
Keep the following points in mind, a website may not be trustworthy to visit, if:
- The site is referred to you through an email message from someone you don’t know.
- The site offers objectionable content, such as pornography or illegal materials.
- The site makes offers that seem too good to be true, indicating a possible scam or the sale of illegal or pirated products.
- You are lured to the site by a bait and switch scheme, in which the product or service is not what you were expecting.
- You are asked for a credit card as a verification of identity or for personal information that does not seem necessary.
- You are asked to provide a credit card number without proof that the transaction is secure.
Sourced from Microsoft.
Prevent online identity thefts! Stay Safe Online & always protect your personal information while browsing.
Speaking of scams, some of these links are sure to interest you. Do have a look at some of them:
- Avoid scams that fraudulently use the Microsoft name
- Avoid Phishing Scams And Attacks
- Avoid Online Tech Support Scams and PC Cleanup Solutions
- Avoid Vishing and Smishing Scams
- Avoid Online Shopping Fraud & Holiday Season Scams
- Credit Card Skimming and Pin Theft Fraud
- Beware of Tax Scams
- Avoid PayPal Scams
- Beware of Fake Online Employment and Job Scams
- Avoid Internet Catfishing Social Engineering Scams.
