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Internet Addiction

A few places for worried families to look for guidance:

On-Line Gamers Anonymous
A virtual 12-step program aimed at helping gamers and their families battle game addiction.

Center for Internet Addiction Recovery
Educational information about Internet addictions, online support group, quiz for those who suspect an online gaming addiction.

Aspen Education Group
Information about how wilderness therapy may help the gaming addict.

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Internet Beginners

How To Be Web Ready

Avoiding Viruses (Consumer-SOS)

Cheap Computer Repairs Done Online
Got a computer problem? These guys will fix it on the cheap. They avoid house calls because they remotely access your computer on line.

Being Street Smart On The Internet (Basics For The Rank Beginner)

Traveling in Cyberspace? Be Savvy!

Spotting & Responding To Commercial E-mails

Safety On The Internet (Oklahoma Police Dept.)
Tips, Suggestions and links on matters such as Internet romance, protecting children, avoiding scams, chain letters and on line ordering.

Doing Research On The Web (Internet Search Engines)


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Scams

Email & Pop-up Message Scams (Illinois Attorney General's Office)

Online Auctions (Illinois)

Online Scams (Illinois)

Shopping on the Internet (Illinois)

Holiday Shopping Online (Illinois)

Internet Scams To Trick You Into Revealing Your Password & Personal Data
So, you got a message to click on this link or your email account or credit card will be canceled in 30 days.  Well it could be a trap!!!!!  And you could be directed to a bogus look alike website made to trick you into giving up your password, credit card # or other personal information.

Spotting Internet Hoaxes (Consumer-SOS)

Top 12 Scams Most Likely to Arrive Via Bulk Email

Top Ten Internet Frauds

Internet Crime Complaint Center
IFCC offers a central repository for law enforcement regarding Internet fraud, works to quantify fraud patterns, and provides timely statistical data of current fraud trends.

National Fraud Information Center
Where to report internet and other types of fraud.

See Consumer-SOS/Scams & Cons

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People Search

See Consumer-SOS/People Search

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Privacy

Smart Strategies To Help Protect Your Privacy Over The Internet

Clean Your Computer Tracks-Privacy Tools
Freeware that deletes Internet cache, spyware, etc. and erases your deleted files for good.

Web Surfing Anonymously
Those Web users who wish to to avoid having their identity known can easily use services like www.anonymizer.com or www.safeweb.com.

TOR
Individuals use Tor to keep websites from tracking them and their family members, or to connect to news sites, instant messaging services, or the like when these are blocked by their local Internet providers. Tor's hidden services let users publish web sites and other services without needing to reveal the location of the site. Individuals also use Tor for socially sensitive communication: chat rooms and web forums for rape and abuse survivors, or people with illnesses.

Removing Viruses Trojans Adware and Spyware (Consumer-SOS)
For tough, hard-to remove viruses, trojans, spyware and adware.

How To Bypass Compulsory Web Registration (Bugmenot.com)
Get the news articles you want, without the Spam. Bypass the login of web sites that require compulsory registration and/or the collection of personal/demographic information (such as the New York Times). Gives you a list of passwords and login ID's to use so you don't have to register.

André Bacard's Privacy Page
Scroll down for privacy websites, advice on surfing anonymously and getting rid of cookies.

See Consumer-SOS/Privacy & Identity Theft

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Junk Email

Spamming
The Illinois Anti Spam Act.

Getting Less Junk E-mail

Using Two or More Email Addresses To Avoid Spam (Consumer-SOS)

Email & Pop-up Message Scams (Illinois Attorney General's Office)

Avoiding Spam-How To Bypass Compulsory Web Registration (Bugmenot.com)
Get the news articles you want, without the Spam. Bypass the login of web sites that require compulsory registration and/or the collection of personal/demographic information (such as the New York Times). Gives you a list of passwords and login ID's to use so you don't have to register.

Internet Pornography (Consumer-SOS)

Spotting & Responding To Commercial E-mails

Avoiding Viruses (Consumer-SOS)

André Bacard's Privacy Page
Scroll down for privacy websites, advice on surfing anonymously and getting rid of cookies.

For More Help, See Privacy

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Using Two Email Address To Avoid Spam
Use one email address solely for your friends and the other email address for everything else. Tell your friends never to submit your address to e-invitations or to a web page so it can be forwarded to you. These groups may sell your address to junk mailers.

Give your non-personal email address to creditors, professional organizations, on line subscription groups and everyone else other than your friends.

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Children

Specific Filters To Block Their Viewing (Consumer-SOS)

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule (FTC)

Kids' Privacy On The Net (Website With Good Links)

Safety On The Internet (Oklahoma Police Dept.)
Tips, Suggestions and links on matters such as Internet romance, protecting children, avoiding scams, chain letters and on line ordering.

Child Protection Hotline (800) 843-5678
When someone makes an unwanted overture to a child.

Pointers On Safe Surfing On The Web (Missing Kids.com)

See Consumer-SOS/Children

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Safety

Online Safety Tips Brochure (Illinois)

Online Scams (Illinois)

Safety On The Internet (Oklahoma Police Dept.)
Tips, Suggestions and links on matters such as Internet romance, protecting children, avoiding scams, chain letters and on line ordering.

Avoiding Viruses (Consumer-SOS)

See Children

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Buying Online

Online Auctions (Illinois)

Online Safety Tips Brochure (Illinois)

Online Scams (Illinois)

Shopping on the Internet (Illinois)

Holiday Shopping Online (Illinois)

Tips On...Cybershopping - What You Need to Know (BBB)

Problems With Online Purchases (FTC)

The Applicability Of FTC Law To Internet Advertising

Cyber Squabbles: Where Do You Sue? (Nolo.com)
Where to file a lawsuit when you have a dispute with a Web-based business and going to court is your only
remaining option. 

Protecting Your Financial Privacy in Cyberspace (BBB)

The Low Down On Late Internet Shipments (FTC Article)

National Help Orgs For A Variety Of Consumer Problems
The Elderly, Environment, Families, Fraud, Health & Safety, Insurance, The Handicapped, Medical Problems, Telemarketing and more.

See Consumer-SOS/Refunds, Replacements & Repairs

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Free Internet Access

Free Internet (Consumer-SOS)
Find a free Internet service provider.

Free Or Low Cost Web Hosting (Consumer-SOS)

Choosing An Internet Service Provider (BBB)

Finding A Library Or Other Location With Free Internet (ConnectNet)
The ConnectNet database, searchable by zip code, provides information about free Internet access at libraries and other community technology centers. 
ConnectNet, and its Spanish language counterpart Conectado, also operates a toll-free telephone number (866) 583-1234 to provide the information to those without Internet access. 

Speeding Up Your Home Internet Connection (Cable VS. DSL)
Compares cable to DSL: The PROs and CONs for each one.

Web Hosting (Free Or Low Cost)

Find Out The Features Provided By Each Web Hosting Company
Does the host have Front Page Extensions? Here's how to find out. Go to left hand box "what's that site running" and enter in the site's web address starting with "www".

Find A Web Host
Their search engine allows you to find a web host based on price, bandwidth, available disk space, and many other features. 

Free Web Hosting At Tripod.com
You get 20 megs of space plus site building and file management tools.
To avoid their ads on your site, you'll have to pay.

Free Service Providers

Free Internet Service Providers in All 50 States (DC Not Listed)
Search your state and learn the pros and cons of each offer.

Free & Low Cost Internet Access (52 Countries)

Find Out The Features Provided By Each Web Hosting Service
Does the host have Front Page Extensions? Here's how to find out. Go to left hand box "what's that site running" and enter in the site's web address starting with "www".

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Search Engines

Tips On How To Search Smarter
Find what you want much easier than you used to.

Improve Your Search-Download The Google Toolbar
The new Google Toolbar(TM) increases your ability to find information from anywhere on the web and takes
only seconds to install. (Works only with Internet Explorer)

Directory Of Search Engines
Lists dozens of special search engines so you can find
what you need.

Internet Search Engines
A list of search engines.

Popularity Free
Claims can show you how many sites link to your site and who the websites are that link to you. Also has a list of search engines you can register with for a nominal monthly fee.

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Domain Names

Cybersquatting: What It Is and What Can Be Done About It (Nolo)

What To Do If The Domain Name You Want Is Taken (Nolo.com)

Domain Names & Trademark Law (Nolo.com)
Here's what website builders need to know about trademark law. 

How to Find a Domain Name Registrant
To find the name and address of a domain name owner, you can use the WHOIS search service provided by NSI.

Simply enter the domain name and your search results will include a contact name, phone number, address and email address for the domain name's owner.

Reverse Domain Name Lookup (Worldwide)
Scroll down the page for links to Asia and beyond.

European Whois (Reverse Domain Name Lookup In Europe)

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Viruses

Removing Viruses Trojans Adware and Spyware (Consumer-SOS)
For tough, hard-to remove viruses, trojans, spyware and adware.

Cheap Computer Repairs Done Online
Got a computer problem? These guys will fix it on the cheap. They avoid house calls because they remotely access your computer on line.

Download A New Browser Other Than Internet Explorer So You're Less Likely To Be Attacked By Viruses and Trojans (Mozila Firefox)
Most viruses are specifically designed to exploit the weaknesses in Internet Explorer. However, other browsers are often immune to the same virus attacks. For Another Browser, click here to download Opera (site also describes what it does).

NOTE!!! THE MAJOR DRAWBACK OF A NON IE BROWSER IS THAT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BOLD OR UNDERLINE IN YOUR EMAILS (the buttons may disappear). Also, occasionally, a link on a website may not open. In these rare instances, simply click on your IE icon to view.

André Bacard's Privacy Page
Scroll down for privacy websites, advice on surfing anonymously and getting rid of cookies.

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Spotting Internet Hoaxes

What Should You Do?

1. Check with the originator before forwarding it. Put the first sender in your email address box and ask them if it's true. Most pranks and hoaxes have forged headers and signatures, and when you try and verify the validity of the message, you will find that the address is not valid.
2. Then check out the Hoax Buster links below and see if your story is listed there. 
3. You can also check the credibility of a story by doing a word search on the Internet Search Engines.

Hoax Busters

http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/
Use their search engine to see if your story is true.

www.snopes.com
Use their search engine up top to see if your story is true.

See Also http://cluestick.me.uk/hoax/
which debunks all types of 'Electronic Ephemera' (Hoaxes, Scams, Spoofs, Urban Legends, Chain E-Mails, etc.) 

Spotting Other Hoaxes Not Listed In The Links Above

If you receive an email that may be a hoax, be sure to check it out on Google. Start by entering one of the names or phone numbers in the body of the email. To verify warnings or sympathy letters, use the name or phone number of the victim/person who claims it's a true story.

Put the name in quotation marks to narrow your search and avoid false leads. Also add to your search box the word HOAX. If that doesn't work, try a search using the word HOAX and 2 or three other words that describe the situation. It may be that others have already posted warnings about such.

For example: One day I received a warning to watch out for aids infected needles hidden on the side of gas station pumps. The letter supposedly came from a "Captain Abraham Sands" of the Florida Police Department.

I learned it was a hoax when I went to Yahoo and searched "Captain Abraham Sands" and "gas". Within seconds I got several links telling me this was just a hoax. The Florida Police Department never heard of Captain Sands. The guy was pure fiction.

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Internet Pornography

WHAT DO I DO ABOUT 'PORN SPAM' IN MY E-MAIL BOX?

You can report it on this Web site www.obscenitycrimes.org

The purpose of "porn spam" is to promote Web sites that market pornography -- most (if not all) of which is hardcore. ObscenityCrimes.org was created to provide a link between citizens who become aware of Web sites that market hardcore pornography and federal prosecutors who are responsible for enforcing federal Internet obscenity laws.

In order to determine whether a particular Web site may be violating Internet obscenity laws, the Internet address (URL) or name of that Web site is usually needed.

Is there a risk that I will be exposed to pornography?

If you open porn spam e-mail or take additional steps to locate an Internet address (URL) or Web site name, you could be exposed to pornography. If you don't want to risk being exposed to pornography, don't open porn spam or take additional steps! For many individuals, that first "innocent glimpse" is the first step to sexual addiction.

If I open the porn spam, what then?

If the porn spam is in plain text (i.e., not in HTML format), look for the URL. It will say "http://(something or other)". That's your target. Copy this URL and provide it in the "At This Internet Address (URL)" box on the ObscenityCrimes Report Form.

If the porn spam doesn't have an "http://(something or other)" in plain view, that means your e-mail is in HTML format. Look for highlighted text in the porn spam. Highlighted text has a live link to a Web site. In some e-mail programs (e.g., Microsoft Outlook Express), you can "mouse-over" the live link (but don't click!) and read the Web address in the lower left hand corner of the screen. Jot down that Web address and provide it in the "At This Internet Address (URL)" box on the ObscenityCrimes Report Form.

If your e-mail is in HTML format, and if you have Microsoft's Outlook e-mail program (the full version), you can often print out the hidden links in an e-mail. Go to "File," then choose "Print." You're looking for a check off box marked, "Print table of links." In the Windows 98 version of MS Outlook, that box is on the front of the dialogue box; in the Windows 2000 version, that box is under the "Options" tab. Check that box, then print the e-mail. At the end of the printed e-mail, there will be a table of links. At least one of them will be an "http://(something or other)". Jot down that Web address and provide it in the "At This Internet Address (URL)" box on the ObscenityCrimes Report Form.

If you can't find a URL but do find a Web site name (e.g. "World's Biggest Pornography Site,"), provide that name in the "I Am Reporting An Internet Site Entitled" box on the ObscenityCrimes.org Report Form.

Go here to file the report: http://www.obscenitycrimes.org/complaint/ReportPornSpam.cfm

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