How To Stay Safe When Online Dating
Internet dating can be a great way of chatting to and meeting lots of people. The biggest worry most people have when they consider dating online, is that they will end up disappointed, having not met the love of their life; or that they’ll just end up with unrequited affection.
However, there are other dangers much more perilous than a broken heart and if you are considering online dating, you need to be aware of them in order to stay safe.
1. Protecting your privacy
The internet is typically quite informal but don’t get too casual about personal details.
You must protect your privacy and not give personal details to anyone you don’t know. Once you have spoken to someone a few times and feel comfortable with them, you may want to share your phone number with them so that you can talk to them first before meeting face-to-face. Don’t be pressured into giving out details though. This is particularly important on your dating ‘profile’ and your ID, which should not be your real name.
Your contact details shouldn’t be anywhere public – you wouldn’t walk around with your phone number or email address on display so avoid it completely online too. To be really safe, you could set up a separate email without using your name in the address. Free email accounts can be set up with Hotmail and Yahoo very easily.
2. Be selective
There are some fraudsters out there who pray on internet dating sites and their subscribers. If you are not sure about someone, then don’t meet them. Look out for any inconsistencies in what they say which could point to someone lying.
Likewise, ignore anyone who refuses to provide a picture of themselves or who will not talk to you over the phone before meeting.
3. Protecting your personal safety
Always arrange to meet only after speaking to someone first, either over the phone or through a webcam. You can withhold your phone number when you call or use Skype to protect your personal phone number.
When you meet, make sure it is somewhere public. Never agree to meet someone for the first time at a residential address or let them pick you up in a car.
Ensure that you inform a friend or family member about when and where you are meeting and agree a time that you will be back. Of course, remember to call them if you will be back later than you agreed, or they may start to worry! For an extra level of protection, you could have a friend secretly sit a few seats away from you to check everything is ok.
Don’t drink too much on a first date, so that you can stay alert and react to any danger. Likewise, never leave your food or drink unattended. In case of an emergency, you’ll want to be able to contact the police or a friend so take your mobile phone with you on the date.
Graham is a writer at FreeTrials.co.uk which is a UK based website listing all the latest free trials available on everything from antivirus software through to online dating free trials. The site also has great tips on how to stay safe online and how to get the most from your free trial.
How Can You Tell If an Email is Phishing?
t is a frequently reasserted fact that a majority of the emails sent daily, monthly and annually across the globe are from malicious sources and linked to phishing sites. The torrent of spam mail is the bane of many email and internet service providers and it is possible for unsuspecting users to be duped into giving away personal details and money by phishing campaigns. If you fall victim to a phishing email you might also find that your computer is liable to infection by viruses and spyware. However, it is usually easy to spot when an email is from a phishing site and when it is legitimate as long as you know what to look out for. In all cases it is best to err on the side of caution and you should be able to keep your personal data safe without restricting your enjoyment of email.
The most obvious sign that an email is part of a phishing campaign is that it has arrived in your inbox unsolicited. You may have signed up to newsletters with various sites and in many cases when you enter your email address into a website for any reason you should expect to receive emails from that particular party in an attempt to sell you further products or services. This is all an accepted part of online existence and you might have a rough idea about which sites will be sending you emails legitimately. However, this does not mean that you will be safe, because the purpose of any phishing email is to convince the receiver that it is from a trusted source, such as a bank or online retailer that you may well use.
You can almost always tell that an email is the result of phishing, even if it is presented in a highly convincing manner, if the firm it claims to be from is asking you to verify personal details. This is regularly used when cybercriminals seek to harvest private data, but in reality it should be easy to deflect because most banks and retailers will operate a policy of never asking for your personal details via email. If you do receive an email that appears to be from a trusted site and it asks for personal details, it is best to discount it and visit the official website or make a call to a representative in person.
In order to convince users that they must part with their data, most phishing emails are written in a manner that suggests urgent action is required. The tone will frequently seem professional, but the email could suggest that if you do not respond with updated details in a given timeframe your account will be deleted or some similar negative action will take place. In many cases people will skim read this request and comply to save hassle at a later date, but in reality they will be handing their details into the wrong hands.
Most phishing emails will contain links to seemingly legitimate sites, with requests that you click them in order to perform some action or benefit from some deal. These links can be manipulated so that they emulate the style of official sites whilst sneakily redirecting you to a phishing site. In other cases they might be subtly misspelled domain names, which can easily be misread by the user. A relatively new phishing trick which avoids the spam filters of many email providers is to have the body text made up of an image file, as this cannot be scanned. Any email possessing the traits listed above is best left well alone.
This article was written by Best UK Deals, a UK based deals and discount website that lists all the latest online deals available in the UK. They also write some interesting tips and guides on how to stay safe online. For more information about this site click here.
How Can You Tell If an Email is Phishing?
t is a frequently reasserted fact that a majority of the emails sent daily, monthly and annually across the globe are from malicious sources and linked to phishing sites. The torrent of spam mail is the bane of many email and internet service providers and it is possible for unsuspecting users to be duped into giving away personal details and money by phishing campaigns. If you fall victim to a phishing email you might also find that your computer is liable to infection by viruses and spyware. However, it is usually easy to spot when an email is from a phishing site and when it is legitimate as long as you know what to look out for. In all cases it is best to err on the side of caution and you should be able to keep your personal data safe without restricting your enjoyment of email.
The most obvious sign that an email is part of a phishing campaign is that it has arrived in your inbox unsolicited. You may have signed up to newsletters with various sites and in many cases when you enter your email address into a website for any reason you should expect to receive emails from that particular party in an attempt to sell you further products or services. This is all an accepted part of online existence and you might have a rough idea about which sites will be sending you emails legitimately. However, this does not mean that you will be safe, because the purpose of any phishing email is to convince the receiver that it is from a trusted source, such as a bank or online retailer that you may well use.
You can almost always tell that an email is the result of phishing, even if it is presented in a highly convincing manner, if the firm it claims to be from is asking you to verify personal details. This is regularly used when cybercriminals seek to harvest private data, but in reality it should be easy to deflect because most banks and retailers will operate a policy of never asking for your personal details via email. If you do receive an email that appears to be from a trusted site and it asks for personal details, it is best to discount it and visit the official website or make a call to a representative in person.
In order to convince users that they must part with their data, most phishing emails are written in a manner that suggests urgent action is required. The tone will frequently seem professional, but the email could suggest that if you do not respond with updated details in a given timeframe your account will be deleted or some similar negative action will take place. In many cases people will skim read this request and comply to save hassle at a later date, but in reality they will be handing their details into the wrong hands.
Most phishing emails will contain links to seemingly legitimate sites, with requests that you click them in order to perform some action or benefit from some deal. These links can be manipulated so that they emulate the style of official sites whilst sneakily redirecting you to a phishing site. In other cases they might be subtly misspelled domain names, which can easily be misread by the user. A relatively new phishing trick which avoids the spam filters of many email providers is to have the body text made up of an image file, as this cannot be scanned. Any email possessing the traits listed above is best left well alone.
This article was written by Best UK Deals, a UK based deals and discount website that lists all the latest online deals available in the UK. They also write some interesting tips and guides on how to stay safe online. For more information about this site click here.
Top Contenders to the iPad’s Throne
There are a number of manufacturers currently launching or developing tablet readers in order to capitalise on the expanding popularity of this particular device and if you are captivated by the idea of tablet computing, this brief top 10 will help to guide you towards the right tablet for you. These ten are in no particular order, as each tablet has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Apple iPad
Although there are four versions of the iPad, with two sporting 3G connectivity whilst two have Wi-Fi only, this is arguably the device family that has revived interest in tablet readers. Not only great for reading eBooks, but also an excellent medium on which to view comics, the iPad is Apple’s way of bringing the written word into the 21st century.
Asus EeeTablet Reader
After developing the netbook market in its image, Asus is working on tablet dominance with the EeeTablet. It uses a black and white eight inch LCD screen which chooses to do away with any backlighting to make it easy to read in natural light whilst maintaining the high refresh rate of other LCD displays. A long battery life and a two megapixel camera on the rear make this a compelling package.
Amazon Kindle
Amazon has been pushing for mass market success with its Kindle range for some time and they are still arguably the tablet readers of choice for people who want unrivalled access to a vast catalogue of reading material. Not as diverse in function as the iPad, the Kindle makes up for it with its lower price point.
Sony Reader
Sony has chosen to cut the price of its eBook readers after the iPad threatened to encroach on its market and for dedicated book fans this is still a worthwhile choice.
Samsung Galaxy Tab
Samsung is currently developing a tablet reader that will compete directly with the iPad thanks to its high end features, large colour screen and Android operating system. It will feature 3G connectivity and will also have the ability to make voice calls as a mobile phone.
Dell Streak
This smartphone-tablet hybrid has a five inch screen that allows it to stand out amongst other handsets without really encroaching upon the high end tablet market. Although this marks it out as something of an oddity, it does mean that it is the best choice for mobile users who want to read text and browse websites without squinting or zooming incessantly.
Archos 9
Archos is a lesser known brand amongst mainstream consumers, but this powerful tablet which features Windows 7 and a 1GHz processor is definitely a bold addition to the tablet reader market. The 8.9 inch touchscreen harnesses the revamped Windows interface and its wealth of software ensures compatibility with thousands of programmes.
Toshiba Libretto W100
This tablet may be a little way from launch, but its dual touchscreen set up means that when held appropriately it looks and feels more like an open book than any other reader on the market. It will probably sit in a high price range, but for your money you will get cutting edge hardware and a unique interface.
JooJoo Tablet
If you overlook its slightly quirky name, the JooJoo is an impressive device, offering excellent connectivity, a full 12.1 inch touchscreen interface and a high native resolution for crystal clear onscreen imagery.
Acer LumiRed
With a six inch screen this is not the largest tablet reader in development, but it will be working with many different content providers to keep its library refreshed.
Graham is a writer at Best UK Deals, a UK based deals and online discounts site which lists all the latest and best UK deals available in the UK.
Top Contenders to the iPad’s Throne
There are a number of manufacturers currently launching or developing tablet readers in order to capitalise on the expanding popularity of this particular device and if you are captivated by the idea of tablet computing, this brief top 10 will help to guide you towards the right tablet for you. These ten are in no particular order, as each tablet has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Apple iPad
Although there are four versions of the iPad, with two sporting 3G connectivity whilst two have Wi-Fi only, this is arguably the device family that has revived interest in tablet readers. Not only great for reading eBooks, but also an excellent medium on which to view comics, the iPad is Apple’s way of bringing the written word into the 21st century.
Asus EeeTablet Reader
After developing the netbook market in its image, Asus is working on tablet dominance with the EeeTablet. It uses a black and white eight inch LCD screen which chooses to do away with any backlighting to make it easy to read in natural light whilst maintaining the high refresh rate of other LCD displays. A long battery life and a two megapixel camera on the rear make this a compelling package.
Amazon Kindle
Amazon has been pushing for mass market success with its Kindle range for some time and they are still arguably the tablet readers of choice for people who want unrivalled access to a vast catalogue of reading material. Not as diverse in function as the iPad, the Kindle makes up for it with its lower price point.
Sony Reader
Sony has chosen to cut the price of its eBook readers after the iPad threatened to encroach on its market and for dedicated book fans this is still a worthwhile choice.
Samsung Galaxy Tab
Samsung is currently developing a tablet reader that will compete directly with the iPad thanks to its high end features, large colour screen and Android operating system. It will feature 3G connectivity and will also have the ability to make voice calls as a mobile phone.
Dell Streak
This smartphone-tablet hybrid has a five inch screen that allows it to stand out amongst other handsets without really encroaching upon the high end tablet market. Although this marks it out as something of an oddity, it does mean that it is the best choice for mobile users who want to read text and browse websites without squinting or zooming incessantly.
Archos 9
Archos is a lesser known brand amongst mainstream consumers, but this powerful tablet which features Windows 7 and a 1GHz processor is definitely a bold addition to the tablet reader market. The 8.9 inch touchscreen harnesses the revamped Windows interface and its wealth of software ensures compatibility with thousands of programmes.
Toshiba Libretto W100
This tablet may be a little way from launch, but its dual touchscreen set up means that when held appropriately it looks and feels more like an open book than any other reader on the market. It will probably sit in a high price range, but for your money you will get cutting edge hardware and a unique interface.
JooJoo Tablet
If you overlook its slightly quirky name, the JooJoo is an impressive device, offering excellent connectivity, a full 12.1 inch touchscreen interface and a high native resolution for crystal clear onscreen imagery.
Acer LumiRed
With a six inch screen this is not the largest tablet reader in development, but it will be working with many different content providers to keep its library refreshed.
Graham is a writer at Best UK Deals, a UK based deals and online discounts site which lists all the latest and best UK deals available in the UK.