| It was recently discovered by the government | | | | Anti-virus applications; will look for any active or |
| supported 'Get Safe Online' campaign that one in | | | | inactive viruses present on your computer. Many |
| ten of the 3.5 million UK internet users lost an | | | | applications will give you the option to constantly |
| average of £875 from online fraud within | | | | monitor activity or/and the option to perform a |
| the last year. | | | | manual search of your computers hard-drive. |
| Since the introduction of broadband internet, not | | | | Common anti-virus applications include AVG and |
| only has internet traffic increased but more | | | | Norton Anti Virus. |
| people than ever on going online to shop rather | | | | Anti spyware applications; is one of the newest |
| than visiting their local high street. Unfortunately | | | | types of applications on the scene. It will look |
| this latest report suggests that this is one of the | | | | through your computer for any oddities in your |
| largest areas of fraud, with 1.7 million of our online | | | | computers code which could leave your computer |
| nation likely to be falling victim. | | | | open to attacks or thinks will be used to transmit |
| Many people look at ways in which they can | | | | data to un-authorised third parties. |
| protect the information stored on their | | | | Common Anti Spyware applications include |
| computers. Some of the most popular, yet | | | | Microsoft's Windows Defender and Ad-Aware |
| simple, methods of doing this are as follows: | | | | from Lavasoft. |
| Firewall applications; essentially stop incoming and | | | | Many broadband providers package one or two |
| outgoing connections to your computer. Depending | | | | of these applications into the installation software |
| on how the firewall is set up, it will block any | | | | so it may be worthwhile checking any discs |
| attempts from programs to access the internet | | | | before downloading any new software. |
| and potentially send your information to third | | | | This only goes a little way in preventing online |
| parties you have not agreed to. Many of these | | | | fraud by taking information from your computers |
| programs will give you the option to authorise a | | | | records. You should always ensure that when |
| connection if it is not defined on the | | | | purchasing online you are using a recognised firm |
| pre-authorised lists. | | | | or they are using industry recognised transaction |
| Common firewall applications include Zone Alarm | | | | software/sites that carry a secure certificate |
| and Norton Internet Security. | | | | when processing your credit details. |