Advocacy
How Safe Are You on the Internet? by John B. Clark
We live in a computer and internet age. No matter who you are, what your income is, where you live, how old you are, whether you are working or retired, many of you probably have used a computer or the internet. You will use it because you have to in order to accomplish business, or to shop, to stay in touch with your family, to make appointments, to contact your doctor, to pay your bills or to do a myriad of other things. So, even if you do not have a computer or access to the internet now, eventually all of us will become part of the computer age and it will be second nature. Frankly, as someone who is older, but still working, I have become somewhat comfortable using a computer and the internet, but I am NO computer geek! However, I do like being able to shop online, pay bills online, e-mail friends, surf the internet on topics of interest to me and much more. Still, for many people the use of the internet and a computer presents a brave new world. However, using the internet to conduct any type of business, even personal, can present issues and potential problems. Just think of your telephone. 8 COMING OF AGE SUMMER 2021
I cannot tell you how many times I have heard people complain (me too!) about all the calls they get on their phones from unwanted solicitations. Most are just that—unwanted solicitations, and pretty harmless. In fact, the calls about extending your car’s warranty have become a joke for many comedians. Unfortunately, some calls are not harmless and there are unscrupulous cons who will try to get your personal information or have you send them money for some con. We have repeatedly told people to hang up on such calls, never give out personal information over the phone and not to answer a call you don’t recognize—let it go to voice mail. If no voice mail, it probably was someone trying to sell you something or a scam. Well, if you think these phone scams and solicitations go away if you use a computer, think again! If fact, they can be even more nefarious and serious. Our brave new world of computer/internet usage has given us a whole new terminology. It’s called cybercrime. According to the Cybercrime Support
