Online Safety: Scams, SPAM, Viruses and Clouds
By A. M. Perry
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About this ebook
Have you ever received a phone call informing you that you have a virus on your computer, or a slow Internet connection? Have you ever wondered why you get so much SPAM? Are you concerned your computer might end up with a virus and you'll lose all your files? Does anyone know what the Cloud actually is?
This guide has been complied by the local and online community in an attempt to answer some of these questions. Its audience is primarily those who are unfamiliar with computers and technology and are worried about the security of their computer or being the subject of a scam or fraud. However, even those familiar with computers may benefit from the collection of ideas and anecdotes.
Online safety is as important as safety in your home, or on the street. Our lives are being forced online (whether we like it or not), yet not all of us are comfortable in venturing onto the Internet. What's more, scammers and criminals are taking advantage of those of us who are making these first tentative steps into the world of email, Internet banking and social media.
This guide will be updated as new ideas are generated, or as feedback is provided. Information on how to feedback into to future versions is provided in the book.
A. M. Perry
Ever since I was a child, I had a flair for stories and poems. I was always writing stories, jotting down notes or dreaming up new ideas. I remember winning a couple of competitions at school, which my Mum probably has a better recollection of than me. My other flair belongs to the world of computers, technology and gadgets. When I left school, I embarked on a career in IT. This was quite handy as it granted me an interesting career, allowing me to playing with computers, technology and gadgets, while getting paid. Yet, my passion for writing always remained. One day, I made a decision; a major decision. I quit and enrolled on an English Literature degree with the Open University. I also setup my IT Consulting company to put myself through University. About four years after resigning, I achieved a BA (Hons) First Class degree in English Literature. The Open University degree taught me how to inspect and analyse other writers and apply the criteria to my own writing. More importantly, it gave me the confidence to seriously consider producing my own material. So I went back to my day job in IT and started writing... I have plenty of ideas, none of which fit neatly into a particular style or genre. I am working on a science fiction comic, a young adult fiction novel, a collection of illustrated children's poems, a surrealist novella, as well as a number of short stories. I have also produced a non-fiction cyber security eBook on how to protect oneself from online scams on the Internet. There are many more ideas in the pipeline. This website will be updated to include news and updates on my latest stories and publications. If you have any questions about me or my writing, please contact me below. Andrew.
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Book preview
Online Safety - A. M. Perry
Online Safety: Scams, SPAM, Viruses and Clouds
A. M. Perry
Copyright © 2017 by Andrew Mark Perry
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author.
The moral right of the author, Andrew Mark Perry, has been asserted.
First Edition, 2017
www.andrewmarkperry.com
www.cybersecuritycommunity.co.uk
Cover Illustration Copyright © 2017 by Christopher Holmes,
Windswept Marketing and Design
https://www.windswept.co.nz/
Copyright and Disclaimer notice support: www.thebookdesginer.com
Illustrations designed using: www.draw.io
Ebook formatting by www.ebooklaunch.com
Contents
Foreword
How the guide works (and will grow)
Disclaimer
Credits and Acknowledgements
About the Author
Glossary
Home Network Diagram
The Key Lessons
1 Scams by phone
2 Scams by email
3 SPAM
4 Viruses
5 Genuine Software and the dangers of Next, Next, I Accept, Finish
6 Staying safe online
7 Servicing your computer
8 PINs and passwords, on phones, tablets and PC
9 Backups, USB drives and What is the Cloud?
10 And Finally
Foreword
This guide is a continual work in progress. Its audience is primarily those who are unfamiliar with computers and technology and are worried about the security of their computer or being the subject of a scam or fraud. However, even those familiar with computers may benefit from the following collection of ideas and anecdotes.
The world of computers and technology constantly changes. As it changes, so does the criminal aspect; those looking to extort money and cause chaos. As one problem is fixed, another arises.
The idea for this guide came about following discussions with my local Neighbourhood Watch community. I realised that staying safe online was as important these days as locking your door, or reporting suspicious activity down your street. If we keep a watch out for each other in our actual communities, we should do the same for our online communities.
As in real life, those most vulnerable are those most targeted. Unfortunately, there will always be someone out there looking to exploit and manipulate others for their own self-interest. I doubt we’ll ever stop this, but we can make things harder for them.
That is the aim of this guide. Its intention is to provide simple steps on protecting yourself from scams, fraud and crime within the online world. The guide has been put together based on my own experiences, with input from friends, family and the online and local community. Even though I’ve worked in IT for twenty years and played around on computers for even longer, I’ve almost fallen for scams and even ended up with a virus trying to extort money from me. It can happen to anyone, so don’t be scared or embarrassed if it happens to you. Learn from your experience and share it with others so they won’t experience the same. Just as important: don’t let an unpleasant experience put you off from using your computer, or embracing the amazing ways we can connect with one another using the Internet.
I’ve asked the local community and the online world for ideas on the best way to prevent scams, fraud and viruses. I’ve asked about the subjects that most concern people, and for general advice on staying safe online. The response has been amazing, and credit goes to everyone who has asked questions, provided ideas and feedback into this guide.
There is no silver bullet to staying completely safe in the online world, but you can exercise care and that all important gut-feeling that something might be wrong. This guide will give you enough information to question whether something is right, and how to react if you have concerns about staying safe online.
How the guide works (and will grow)
What follows is a set of ideas and pointers for protecting yourself and your computer equipment (laptop, tablet, phone, etc.) from scams, viruses and unwanted nasties.
I’ve broken the sections into primary headings and sub-sections of basics, intermediate and advanced. Each section will have a key lesson. If you take anything away from this guide, let it be the key lessons. The intermediate and advanced sections may be useful, but if you are unfamiliar with computers, they may be more of a hinderance than a help.
At the end of the guide, there is a list of ideas for the next version. My intention is to update the guide with new information based on continual feedback. This is because new ideas are being generated all the time and if I waited for them all, the guide would never be complete. It also gives the reader a taster of what to expect or to provide their own thoughts on what they’d like to see in the next version.
This is not intended to be my view of the world of online security, but