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Originally Posted by K9-Lovers
Can you explain further? Most sites that I frequent want that information, such as Blockbuster, Amazon, etc., etc.,
What type of cyberfraud can result from listing your name, address and email? It seems there would have to be some sort of solicitation from a criminal, such as an email or letter asking for passwords, account numbers, etc. Answering those solicitations would be inviting cyberfraud, but I don't know how someone could harm us just because they have that simple info: name, address, email address.
Can you explain more, please? I'd like to learn and I'm sure others would, too.
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Hi K9,
Sites for shopping - such as Amazon have secure servers that protect and encrypt your information in a variety of ways, including setting up an account with your password, typing in optical recognition characters, etc.
E-mail petitions are quite different. You are providing personal info that can be viewed by anyone - including those hackers in Africa that want to pay you the millions of dollars you have won or have been bequeathed, if only you will provide them with you bank transit number - oh and your SS# for tax purposes.
Seniors are a big target for fraud. In many cases, they (we!) have securities that provide us with an income stream, but that could also be turned into cash. One of my good friends (a retired teacher!) really believed that Bill Gates would share $1,000 of his wealth with her if she was one of the first 100,000 who signed this petition and forwarded it to 10 friends. Just do the math!
Barb gives very good advice - take the computer class, you will learn to be a smarter and safer internet user.