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FEMALE NARRATOR: Steering clear of cyber tricks.
Free cell phone.
Enter here to win a free beach vacation.
Bad luck if you don't pass this on to 10 friends.
With all the popup games, contests and flashy offers on
your phone and computer, you know some of
them can't be real.
So how do you know what you can trust online and what
might harm you or your computer?
Let's start by taking a closer look at what cyber
tricks or scams are.
Free offers usually aren't free.
If a website asks for financial information like a
credit card number to get your free prize, chances are you or
your parents are going to find a surprise charge on the bill.
Some websites trick you into giving out personal
information so they can send you more tricks.
Once you're on their list, it's hard to get off.
If you pass a chain email on to your friends, you're
putting them at risk of being tricked or worse.
Even those cool personality tests might be gathering facts
about you to make it easier to guess your password or other
secret information.
To avoid falling for these scams, think about these tips
before you click.
Stay away from popup contests, no matter how
much fun they seem.
You can't win.
And there's usually a secret trick like collecting
information about you, seeing if your email address is
active, or infecting your computer
with destructive software.
Do a web search for a company's name before you give
them any information about you.
If you can't find them online, the contest or ad is
probably not real.
Read the fine print.
It seems cheap now, but then 10 payments of what?
Sometimes websites just want to steal your private
information and use it for themselves.
When they pretend to be someone you trust like an old
friend, distant relative, your bank, or even your email
service, that's called phishing.
No, not that kind.
Most legitimate businesses will never ask for personal
information like account numbers, passwords, and social
security numbers via email period.
Don't get hooked.
If you get an email asking for your password or other
identifying information, don't click on any link or file in
the suspicious email.
Instead, open a new browser window and log into the
company's website as you normally do.
If there actually is an issue with your account, the site
should give you instructions on how to fix it.
If you realize you've been tricked by one of these scams
or phishing attacks, take action.
Tell a trusted adult immediately.
The longer you wait, the worse it may get..
If you're worried about your bank account or credit card
info, contact the bank or credit card company
immediately.
If you received a phishing email, go to antiphishing.com
to report it.
Remember, everyone can help the internet safe and fun.
Let's review.
Be smart with your clicks to avoid nasty tricks.
Check out a website before you share your or your friends'
information.
And if you realize you've been tricked, tell someone.
Thanks for watching.
Stay tuned for more tips from the YouTube Team.