Webupon

Life just got a little more complicated for you if you choose to sell online. For some of us it’s just not satisfying enough to sit and read email, visit a few video sites, read a little news and perform some research. Oh no, some of us immerse ourselves into the online world. Creating blogs and websites, typing in chat rooms and forums, building email lists, participating in pay per click advertising, affiliate marketing, and selling at auction sites . This is where things move away from being fun and become challenging, frustrating and sometimes downright scary for some of us. So what are some of the things we should look out for when selling online? I took some time to find some answers to this question to not only help myself, but help others interested in turning their computer into a Las Vegas slot machine.

For example, while checking my emails the other day I noticed an email supposedly from eBay stating my account had been suspended. I knew right away that something was definitely wrong since I had just started buying and selling on the site. So, I looked at the subject header, glanced at the address bar, and noticed the fine print and just as I suspected someone was attempting to phish my account. Luckily, I wasn’t sitting at my computer dozing off. I couldn’t help, but think of the people who may not have been alert to these deceptive practices and inadvertently gave all of their information away.

On another occasion I received a false Paypal email requesting that I verify my information. I noticed that it seemed strange they needed to verify my account. So I closed that email and visited Paypal’s actual website. They didn’t need to verify my information just as I figured another scam.

I also experienced a similar situation when I posted items on a local classified website and found that people began to send me emails immediately asking for my address without even bothering to ask anything more about when I would be available, pertinent details about the items I was selling, or any other questions. I purposely left some information out of the ad so that potential buyers would have to ask for more details and I didn’t give them my exact address, or birth name either. I encouraged them to call me if they wanted to know more information or reply to my email, of course most of them didn’t. Even after my items were sold, the emails continued to arrive in my inbox from these scam artists, funny, they didn’t know what I was selling.

The ever popular emails needing my help to transfer money, send money, and do whatever else with money continue to arrive in my email account. Some of these people have received some interesting replies from me to say the least. I’m sure they enjoy reading about my background in investigative reporting. They don’t write back.

So I have 10 tips that I use myself to keep me safe and may help you. Here are the following:

1. Don’t reply to emails unless you know the person.
2. Visit the websites of the companies you do business with and look for the https: in the browser window just before the domain name.
3. Don’t click on the links in the email.
4. Unsubscribe from emails you know you haven’t registered and send them to spam.
5. Don’t give family members your passwords unless you trust them 100%.
6. Avoid storing your passwords on your computer.
7. Change passwords when you suspect someone or something may have compromised your account.
8. Cancel accounts or memberships to websites you no longer use.
9. Shred any printed paper with your account numbers, addresses, and other personal information.
10. When you are done visiting any website, log off and close the window.