Some websites features aggressive advertising and tracking mechanisms. It’s common to see ads for free antivirus software and system scans, as well as warnings that your device has been compromised and requires immediate action, like calling a certain number. These schemes are invariably scams and should be ignored.

Because pop-up windows are often a product of spyware, clicking on the window may install spyware software on your computer. To close the pop-up window, click on the “X” icon in the titlebar instead of a “close” link within the window.

Have you ever seen an offer on Facebook for a program showing you who viewed your profile? Such functionality doesn’t exist, and if you try to download it you’ll probably get malware instead. Also watch out for links in Twitter Direct Messages and work-from-home schemes on LinkedIn.

Phishing emails are designed to fool you into clicking a link or attachment. To do so, they mimic the look and feel of official corporate or government communications. You can fight back by not engaging with any email that has a long/garbled sender address or subject line, is filled with typos and odd formatting, or […]