When you sign up for a new online account, it’s possible you’ll be asked to confirm your identity. Sometimes, this is an innocuous request asking you to confirm via a text message or other channel. In other cases, it might be more malicious. Be wary of requests that ask you to upload a selfie or […]

Some invasive web ads take the form of alerts telling you to call support for help with a system infection. You should never follow their advice, since doing so will likely put you at greater risk of paying exorbitant fees for call to premium phone numbers or clicking on links to compromised sites.

Peer-to-peer (P2P) websites are fraught with risk. While you’re searching for links to torrents, you might see thumbnails for stories that seem oddly relevant or interesting, with titles like “New rule in [your location].” A lot of these links lead to malware, so don’t click them or, better yet, don’t visit P2P sites to begin […]

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.