| We've all gotten a computer virus before. Pop-ups | | | | a computer virus, or if you've purchased something |
| everywhere, redirecting our pages, overwhelming | | | | online but never received it, or couldn't return it, or |
| spam emails all of a sudden. It's annoying, perhaps | | | | called a bogus customer service number - do NOT |
| frustrating, maybe even infuriating if you're on some | | | | just sit at home and feel angry or ashamed. Get |
| sort of a deadline, but you run your anti-virus scan | | | | online and tell your story. |
| and continue about your business. | | | | The truth is we can't live without the Internet. Most |
| But computer viruses, unlike organic human viruses, | | | | of us are dependent on it for so many things. So |
| aren't a product of Mother Nature. And they're not a | | | | make it a tool we can use against people who would |
| random glitch in the system, some terrible accidental | | | | use it against us. Make the forums, groups, and blogs |
| byproduct of technology that we have no choice but | | | | your opinion outpost. A great example of how this |
| to endure. Computer viruses are created on purpose | | | | truly works is Google home income scam. People |
| by people. Sometimes they're harmless, intended to | | | | have overwhelmed the Internet with stories about |
| annoy or frustrate. But sometimes they are created | | | | how they encountered a Google home income scam |
| with the intention of stealing your bank information, | | | | - exactly what happened to them, the name of the |
| your credit card information, your social security | | | | company or person that was responsible, and how |
| number. | | | | you can avoid it. |
| I bring this to your attention to make you aware - | | | | These people who are using their opinion outpost to |
| the Internet is not a safe place, despite the comfort | | | | make a difference are shutting down these Google |
| and reassurance you get from checking the weather | | | | home income scams far quicker than anyone in the |
| or the convenience of online banking. There are | | | | government. Once a company is exposed, they have |
| people out there who go onto the Internet and they | | | | no choice but to change their practices. If everyone |
| intend to do harm. | | | | knows their product is bogus, then they need to |
| The government is trying to make laws that punish | | | | create a new product. |
| people for wrongdoing in cyberspace, but except for | | | | Ask any US hotel and they'll tell you nothing is better |
| a handful of clear, cut-and-dried instances, the truth is | | | | or worse for their business than an online review. So |
| that the people creating online schemes and scams | | | | instead of feeling ashamed of being taken advantage |
| are moving much faster than the government can | | | | of, get out there, tell your story, and help protect |
| keep up with them. So how on earth are we | | | | others from experiencing the same thing. Eventually |
| supposed to protect ourselves? | | | | we can hope that the authorities will catch up and do |
| It's actually much simpler than you can imagine. We | | | | this for us, but until then, we must fight for |
| protect ourselves by telling our stories. If you or | | | | ourselves. |
| someone you know has encountered an email scam, | | | | |