Mobile devices are designed to be convenient, portable, and easy to use. Unfortunately, this also means it’s easier for kids to do things that they shouldn’t. One example of this is texting while driving. Texting is very distracting for any driver, and it has become a major cause of traffic accidents and even deaths. Since many teens send hundreds of texts every day, they may be tempted to respond immediately to every text that they receive.

So which guidelines should you give your teens for texting while driving? There’s really just one simple rule they need to use: Don’t text while driving! Whether your teen wants to send a text, post something on Facebook, or check their email, they should wait until the vehicle is stopped before using the device.

Another danger is sexting, which is taking nude or sexual photos with a mobile phone and sending them to someone else. Many teens and preteens think that sexting is no big deal, and as a result it has become very common. However, teens who engage in sexting can be prosecuted for distributing child pornography, and they can even go to prison if they are convicted. It’s important to make sure your kids understand that sexting is not okay.

Many mobile apps use a feature called geolocation, which allows you to share your location with other people. This can be a fun and useful feature, and depending on how it’s used it may not be too risky. But if you’re uncomfortable having your child’s location shared, you can turn off location-based services for some or all of the apps on the device.

Need help convincing your kids to use their mobile devices safely? You can find many more tips in our Internet Safety for Kids tutorial.

As kids start using computers and mobile devices more and more, it’s becoming especially important to begin talking to them about the internet from an early age. That means it’s also important for you to learn everything you can about internet safety, including types of online dangers and safety strategies.

In our tutorial, we’ll give you tips for talking to your kids about:

• Avoiding online predators
• Responding to cyberbullies
• Using social networks safely
• Using mobile devices safely

We’ll also show you how to make your family’s computer safer and how to keep your kids safe when they’re using the internet away from home.

If you still want to learn more, we’ll point you to other resources throughout the tutorial. And of course, we have lots of other internet tutorials, such as Internet 101, Email 101, Beyond Email, and all of our Social Media tutorials, so you may want to check those out as well.

To get started, go to Internet Safety for Kids and have a look around!

It’s that time of year again when we are bombarded with advertisements for red roses, chocolates and romantic dinners. There is nothing like the craze of Valentine’s Day to remind you that you are single. So, if you find yourself thinking of how to meet that special someone, then perhaps it’s time you consider online dating.

If you are one of the few who are still doubtful about online dating, then perhaps the following statistics will make you a bit more comfortable with the idea.

• 1 in 5 singles have dated someone they met online
• 1 in 5 singles are currently in a committed relationship with someone they met on a dating site
• In the last year, 17 percent of couples who married met on a dating site
• Online dating nationwide increased 15% from May 2009 to May 2010

A decade ago it was more taboo to date online, but now that socializing on the web in general has become so integrated into our lives, online dating has naturally become a practical and accepted option. It doesn’t mean you have to give up meeting people face to face, it’s just a useful alternative, especially for busy singles who don’t have a lot of time.

If you would like to consider online dating, you should first do your homework. Below is a list of sites and resources that can help get you started.

Advice, Reviews and Trends

• DatingSitesReviews.com – An extensive site that provides information and reviews on the multitude of dating websites available online.
• Evan Marc Katz – Advice from one of the most popular dating coaches. Also check out his E-Cyrano site for profile writing help.
• OKTrends – This blog, from the OkCupid dating site, offers research, trends and observations regarding online dating. It is based on the analysis of statistics from users on their site.  The information can be very useful and insightful, but be warned that content is very frank and may offend some.

Popular Fee-Based Dating Sites

• Match.com – With over 29 million singles it offers the most matches with some very simple, easy-to-use search tools.
• Chemistry.com – Matching is based on personality testing for chemistry. Has  approximately 14 million users with an emphasis on committed relationships.
• PerfectMatch.com – Combines personality test matching along with searching features. Has approximately 11 million users.
• eHarmony – Extensive personality test matching along with guided communication tools that ease you into initial contacts. Has approximately 9 million users with an emphasis on long-term relationships.

Popular Free Dating Sites

• PlentyOfFish - The largest free online dating site with simple tools for searching.
• OKCupid - This free online dating site provides matching based on personality tests.

Popular Mobile Dating Apps

• Zoosk - The largest dating app in the U.S., it is consistently voted most popular and includes a GPS location feature.
• Meet Moi – A free location-based dating app that alerts you when a match is nearby and is also integrated with Facebook.
• Match Mobile - A mobile version of the popular Match.com site.

Safety Precautions

Before you get started it is important that you learn how to be safe when socializing with others online. See our lesson on Precautions to Take When Meeting People Face To Face in our Internet Safety tutorial or check out Online Dating Safety Tips from OnlineDatingMagazine.com.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

• Your bank will never send you an email asking you for your information. They already have it. If your bank needs to contact you, they are more likely to use a secure means of communication like snail mail, than an insecure method like email. Phishing emails are becoming so common, that it is extremely likely that you have seen one. Although most phishing emails are ignored, a recent report found that 45% of people who receive phishing emails respond and end up entering their information on a fraudulent site. Treat any email that purports to come from your bank with suspicion. If you think it might be legitimate, forward it to your bank’s fraud department and let them determine its validity. One strategy is to log into your real bank account to see if you have any messages there.

***Check out these Fraud Examples.

• Your bank will never send you an email that has typos in it. They pay people a fortune to design their websites and communications. Typos, misspellings, strange formatting are all indicators of a phishing email.
• Your bank will rarely call you asking to confirm account information over the phone. If they do, tell them you will call them back. Hang up and call the 800 number on your account. That way you can be sure that you are answering a legitimate request.
• Protect yourself. Set up credit monitoring. Most of the major banks provide credit monitoring services for a nominal fee. I recommend doing this even if you are not the victim of identity theft, but especially if you are. Regardless of the fee, it is going to be far less than the headache that will ensue if you fall victim. Watch your credit scores each quarter and pay attention to changes in your accounts. Use online banking and check your accounts frequently.

I am lucky that my bank caught this and I was able to get my money back, because I am sure there are plenty of people who have not been that lucky. You are your best advocate and the best way to prevent identity theft is to educate and protect yourself.

For more information on avoiding phishing scams, visit our Internet Safety – Protecting Your Financial Transactions lesson.

Credit Reporting Agencies

The first step is to notify the three major credit bureaus that your credit and social security number have been compromised. You can call whichever one you prefer because once you call one, the other two will be notified. You will need to explain the situation to whomever you get on the phone.

Set Up a Fraud Alert

The FTC will assist you in putting a Fraud Alert on your social security number. From that moment on, if anyone tries to access your social security number to open new lines of credit, you will be notified. Once you set up a Fraud Alert, you will receive a phone call any time something changes on your credit. This Fraud Alert lasts for 90 days. After the 90 day period, you will need to take over the full responsibility of monitoring your credit.

Request Your Credit Reports

You will also want to request a credit report from them. You are entitled to request one free copy of your credit report from each of the three credit reporting companies per year. This report will allow you to check and see if there is new activity. It will also give you a starting point. You will need to continuously monitor your credit over the next year or so. The original reports will allow you to compare later reports to see what has changed. If you find any changes immediately, you will want to close those credit accounts immediately.

Close Compromised Accounts

The next step is to go into your bank and close your compromised accounts. You will need to explain the situation to the representative and they will walk you through the process of closing the old accounts and opening the new accounts. You want to make sure that you change your account numbers, checkbook numbers, and PIN numbers. Typically your bank will have a process that they use when things like this happen. Before they close the account, they will go through all of the recent transactions to make sure that nothing additional has occurred on your account. Also, be sure to cancel any recurring charges that may be scheduled on your account to avoid any late fees or additional issues.

File a Complaint

Next you will want to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. Call 1-877-ID-THEFT. You will need to explain the situation to the representative. They will use your information to help law enforcement track down identity thieves and it will also protect you from any future litigation that could occur.

File a Police Report

The last step is to call your local police and file a report. This step is essential. Tell them that you want to file a report about your identity theft. Sometimes police stations have different processes for filing this particular kind of identity theft. Once you do, request a copy of the report and keep it in your wallet for the next couple of years. The reason that you want to do this is pretty simple. If the hacker decides to open credit in your name (after your alert has expired), create and use bad checks, or default on accounts they have created you may have a bench warrant issued in your name. If this happens, you can show the would-be arresting officer your police report and save yourself from an embarrassing situation.

Once you have completed these steps you will be well on your way to recovery. Though these steps will help you rebuild your financial security, it will take some time to rebuild your confidence. You will find strength in educating yourself and taking control of the situation.

Check back soon to see Part 3 which will discuss ways to avoid becoming a victim of Identify Theft.

The truth is many people fall victim to phishing scams and just as many of those people think that it could never happen to them. We feel that we are invincible on the internet, when in fact we are often at our most vulnerable. Though I would never choose to repeat this incident, having experienced it has forced me to learn how to protect myself and hopefully how to protect others.

The worst part about my story is that it was truly my fault. No one dug through my garbage and found my bank statement. No one hacked into my computer and pulled my log in information. I gave this criminal everything they needed to steal from me. You may not even be able to call it identity theft when you actually give the thief the information. It was a truly humbling experience.

Several years ago I received an email from my banking institution. It appeared to be a legitimate email stating that my account had been compromised and that I needed to provide them with my account information to ensure that I am the only person using the site.  In hindsight, there were so many red flags. The email did not come directly from my bank and on top of it there were typos throughout the email. Of course now I can’t figure out why the typos didn’t clue me in or why I didn’t question why I could log into my account that was supposedly compromised. But I believed the email and immediately responded.

A few days later I got a call from my bank. Their system had alerted to two transfers occurring in my account on the same day to an account I’d never transferred to before. I told them that I didn’t know anything about the transfers but that I had provided them with my information when I received their email a few days ago. As I said these words I realized that I had made a huge mistake. The man on the phone explained to me that I had been the victim of a scam and that a hacker had stolen a total of $800,000 from their customers. The good news was that they had closed the hacker’s account and would be returning all of the money to the customers. The bad news, the evil hacker still had all of my information and could use it in a variety of ways. So though my money was safe, the horrible adventure was only beginning.

I went through different stages of emotion. I cried, became angry, cried angrily, and then wanted to fix the problem and seek revenge.

Please come back to see Part 2 of this article which will discuss the recovery process if you find yourself to be the victim of a phishing scam.

Just as important, is protecting your personal information from being used for identity theft or annoying spam. There are thousands of job-hunting sites on the Internet with millions of people responding, including sites that have no interest in anything other than obtaining your personal information. Blasting your resume anywhere and everywhere on the Internet may gain you a few legitimate results, but it will definitely expose you personally in a major way.

So how can you conduct a job search and still protect your personal identity and current job? Follow these strategies and tips:

• Be very cautious about posting your resume online, even to popular sites like Monster and Careerbuilder. Always read the privacy policies and choose the most conservative privacy settings before posting to select sites. Never pay or sign up for a resume distribution service. Thoroughly research any recruiters to make sure they are competent in protecting you while searching on your behalf.
• Create a cyber-safe resume with minimal contact information and non-identifying employment histories for your online search. Learn how with our lesson on Protecting Your Identity with a Cyber-Safe Resume.
• Never include personal information, like your address, social security number, or work contact email, in an online resume. Use a private cell phone number and web-based email account for contact information. In addition, do not provide this information to anyone unless you have been given an official offer and are completing paperwork at a physical location. Many cyber-criminals may try to request this information by saying they need it to conduct a background check before interviewing you. Be wary of these types of phishing schemes that target job-hunters.
• Build strong networks online through professional sites or LinkedIn for effective job-hunting. However, you must use them consistently, otherwise a sudden increase in your activity on these sites might be considered suspicious if seen by a colleague or supervisor. See this Job-Hunt.org article on Leveraging LinkedIn for Your Stealth Job Search.
• Search for yourself on Google on a frequent basis to see if any results show your job-hunting activity. See our blog article on how to Google Yourself.
• Do not conduct your job search from work. Not only is it unethical, but your email and phone records may be monitored. If you are worried about missing an email or phone call from a potential employer, than you should obtain a smartphone with Internet access for contact purposes.

For more information, see our Internet Safety and Job Search topics and good luck with your search!

Displaying the above bad manners is not just disrespectful, it may even lead to what experts call “cell phone rage,” or angry outbursts and violence based on rude cell phone behavior. To avoid such behavior, it is best to practice the following cell phone etiquette tips:

1. Follow the rules – Cell phone restrictions are usually put into place for safety reasons, therefore your cooperation is definitely needed.
2. Be aware – Avoid ‘cell yell” or loud talking which can be disruptive and annoying. Also, discontinue emotional or angry conversations which can be unsettling to others.
3. Be present – Set your phone to silent when you are in a meeting, movie theater, church or similar setting. Do not text. If you must take a call, excuse yourself and go outside.
4. Be private – Do not discuss or display sensitive, extremely personal or inappropriate information when in public. You never know who is listening or looking. Also, protect the person you are talking to by telling them when you are using speaker or video functions in a public space.
5. Be a wireless Samaritan – You can call 911 from you phone and help others by reporting crimes or emergencies.
6. Respect photo/video privacy rights – Always ask for permission before shooting a photo or video of someone with your device, especially children and minors.
7. Be discreet with media playing – Do not display inappropriate, disturbing or R-rated media content where it can be seen or heard by others, especially children. Also, keep volume low or use earphones.

Following these tips allows you to integrate the use of technology into your life in a way that is respectful of those around you. After all, they deserve the same attention and courtesy as the person you are engaging with on your phone. To learn more, visit our Wireless and Mobile Device Safety lesson.

We have updated our Internet Safety tutorial to include brand new, up-to-date content that is easier to understand and integrate into your everyday online experience. In this tutorial you will learn the latest threats from malware to phishing to privacy violations and everything in between. We will show you how to secure your computers and protect your personal information. In addition, we will teach you the browsing skills you need to play it safe when interacting with others online.

So how safe do you really feel while you are online? You may not be as secure as you think. Consider the following questions:

• Have you ever Googled yourself to see what information is available about you online?
• Are you sure you are receiving regular updates from your browser and security programs?
• Are you enticed by “phishy” emails offering special deals or discounts?
• Do you carelessly download free games, screensavers or applications that may contain malware?
• When shopping online, do you check a site’s security status before entering your credit card information?
• Have you customized your privacy settings on sites like Facebook or Twitter?
• Is your use of the Internet interfering with your real world relationships and responsibilities?
• When you connect to a Wi-Fi Hotspot with your mobile device, are you taking precautions to make sure you are on a secure network?

If these questions have got you wondering about just how secure you are on the Internet, then visit our new Internet Safety topic. We will provide you with the tips, strategies and skills you need to get you well on your way to a more safe and secure online experience.

While this information may not be harmful, in some situations you could put yourself at risk by not knowing what is out there. For instance, someone can find out your name, address, and directions to your house just by entering your phone number in a simple web search. If you are selling something in a newspaper or on Craigslist and you give your home phone number to a potential buyer, be aware that they could easily find your house.

Another thing to consider when looking at your public web content is its impact on your reputation. Are you applying for a job or to a university? Most institutions will search for information about you on the web when reviewing your application. You will want to know if your friend’s blog still has those old Spring Break pictures of you posted, and kindly ask him to take them down!

Google yourself to find out what is out there. To get the most accurate and complete search results, enter search terms such as your name, email address, home and work address, and phone numbers in a variety of ways. Also, put quotes around your search terms. This tells the search engine to find a specific phrase just how you wrote it, and will make your search more efficient.

• First name and last name: “Will Bolding”
• First, middle, and last name: “Will Edward Bolding”
• Last name followed by a comma and your first name: “Bolding, Will”
• Last name followed by a comma, your first name and middle name: “Bolding, Will Edward”
• Street address: “2521 Street Address Lane”
• Phone number (using no spaces or hyphens searches all instances of your number): “9195554444”
• Email address: “boldingsoccer@email.com”

If you do find any information that you do not want publicly available, you can ask the website to remove that information. Keep in mind that they are not always obligated to comply with your request. If you need help negotiating with a website, you can contact WiredSafety.org, and they will be able to advise you on your specific case.

You might feel comfortable with the information that is posted about you online, but as the web is constantly growing and changing, it is a good idea to Google yourself regularly and stay informed on what anyone can find out about you by simply searching the web.