Vol. 2, No. 28 -- Week of July 23, 2000

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Welcome to Learn the Net News.

Not too long ago, having a home computer was a novelty. Now you can find them glowing away in many rooms in the house--kitchens, home offices, and kids’ room. A growing number of households now have multiple computers. If you live in one of them, wouldn’t it be useful to share your files, peripherals, like a printer, and even Internet access? Then home networking may be just the ticket. Find out how to build a simple home network.

"A man’s (or women’s) home is his or her castle," or so the saying goes. Although most of us don’t live in anything remotely resembling a castle, some people still do, like the Queen of England. This week’s Web Tour takes you inside some of the great castles of England. Visit with the royal family, build your own miniature castle and discover what life inside an ancient pile of stone is like.

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"Top Ten Things You Can Do on the Net This Week" include:

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Here’s a question for you. What do you think is the public’s greatest fear about the Internet? It used to be transmitting credit card information online. But a recent report from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission says that it’s now identity theft. Just the name alone is frightening! The agency has received over 20,000 calls since it set-up a toll-free hotline eight months ago.

Identity theft involves using someone’s personal data, for instance Social security number, banking information and calling card number, to commit fraud. Unscrupulous people have opened bogus accounts, run up huge bills and generally caused financial mayhem for unsuspecting folks. While this sort of illegal activity isn’t new, the Internet has made it much easier to gather personal information and to perpetrate these sorts of crimes.

How can you avoid this from happening to you? Treat personal data as confidential, only providing the minimum amount required. Don’t give out sensitive information, such as your Social Security number (or similar ID used in other countries) unless there is a compelling reason to do so. The same goes for things like your mother’s maiden name.

Check your financial statements--checking account, credit card statements, etc.--carefully. Question any transaction immediately that may raise a red flag. Time is important. Someone took my checking account number, had new checks printed with the number, then used the checks to make huge purchases. Fortunately, when I checked my account balance after making an ATM withdrawal, I noticed a discrepancy and reported it. Because I was within the time limit, the bank covered all the bogus checks.

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Michael Lerner

Publisher

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