Tips to Keep Your Teens (and Yourself) Safe on MySpace and Other Social Networking Sites

---

MySpace is one of the most popular social networking websites (with well over 100 million users). It lets users interact with a network of friends, and create personal profiles and blogs that include photos, music, audios and videos, as well as text.

In fact, MySpace is a great place for teens to communicate and interact with friends who live down the block -- or across the world. They can share photos, music, messages... just about anything. And bands have used MySpace very successfully to communicate directly with fans.

Now, you don't have to be a teenager to obtain a MySpace account. Anybody with access to the Internet can sign up for this free website.

Though most users are honest -- and many can be great Internet acquaintances -- there are enough shady users to warrant your concern as a parent, grandparent or teen.

Here are a few things that parents and teens can do to make MySpace, and any similar online meeting place, a safer environment.

8 MySpace Safety Tips for Teens:

1. Don't use your real name anywhere on the site. If you have a common first name -- Thomas, Samantha, or Chris -- use that and nothing more.

   You can also pick a name that is meaningful to you without giving away personal details. For example, create a username that reflects your interest in music or writing, art or cars.

2. Fill out as little of your personal profile as possible. You don't have to tell everybody how old you are or where you live. Some people opt to give only their home state, or region in some cases, for safety reasons.

   You also don't have to upload a photo of yourself. If you want to share some sort of image, you can find an avatar online that fits your personality.

   A good rule of thumb is to not post anything you don't want the whole world to know about.

3. Only let people on your "friends" list access your profile and other information. The less you reveal to strangers, the safer you'll be.

   This will only work, though, if you use discretion when you add people to your friends list. If you reciprocate every friend request that you receive, you'll quickly lose control over profile access.

4. When you post a blog entry, proofread your writing a couple of times before you submit. After all, you don't want to give away too much personal information.

   For example, Internet strangers don't need to know which school you attend, your kid brother's first name or where you go to church.

   Also, don't post things that could embarrass you later. Even if you set your profile to "private," it could still come back to haunt you later.

5. Sometimes you'll receive comments or messages from people you don't know. If that happens, you should be careful if you decide to reply.

   Dangerous people often have subtle ways of making you slip up and share the wrong information when you aren't on guard.

6. Remember that the moment you send a comment or message to somebody else, whatever you wrote is no longer in your control.

   What you send to one person -- even a friend you know IRL ("in real life") -- can travel all over the Internet (and your school's hallways) without you even knowing this is happening.

   If you have something to say that you don't want just anybody knowing, tell only your most trusted relatives and friends -- in person, not via the Internet, text messaging or email.

7. If another MySpace user is making you uncomfortable -- trying to send you photos that you don't want to see, or asking overly personal questions -- report that user to MySpace administrators.

   Then add that user to your "ignore" list and forget all about him or her once you've contacted MySpace.

   (Confronting that user won't solve anything. Some people actually feed on conflict: don't give the user the satisfaction of being sucked in.)

8. Recognize the employers often check MySpace before making job offers. So be careful about what you post on your MySpace pages.

Here are four things that parents should do:

1. Ask for access to your teen's MySpace page.

   You need to decide on the rules about your access to your teen's page. If you feel you need/want access, then you should be able to hop on your computer and visit the page any time you want. If your child has "friends only" enabled, then your username should be on that list. This way, you can view your teen's page to make sure that he or she hasn't posted anything overly personal.

2. Depending on your teen's age and maturity level, you might want to restrict Internet access to times when you're around. Many parents keep the family computer in a common room so they can check on what their children are doing without having to barge into a bedroom.

3. Again, depending on your teen's age, you might want to know who is on your teen's list of friends. Some will be other teens that you already know: classmates, teammates, youth group buddies or the like. Others will be strangers to you.

   Knowing who these people are could help you keep your teen safe.

4. If your teen is supposed to meet an online-only friend in person, consider being there as well. If your teen is meeting another teen who lives in the area, they could probably still have a good time together even though boring old Mom or Dad is not too far away.

   But if a predator shows up to meet with your teen and sees you there, he or she will leave as quickly as possible.

When you and your teen follow these tips -- and remember to communicate with each other every step of the way -- you'll be able to sleep well at night knowing that you're doing what you can to protect your son or daughter's virtual life.

Teaching your teen how to stay safe on MySpace (without being overly protective) is something you can -- and should -- do. (Scambuster.org)

How to Protect Yourself from Home Based Business Scams

While there are many lucrative home based opportunities on the Internet, there are also many scams that one must be aware of in their quest for a home business. Scam artists are in abundance, and just waiting for someone who is hopeful - and inexperienced - to happen by. Don't let it be you!

Of course, there are scam artists who target those who want to start their own home based business, but there are also scam artists who target average computer users around the world. These scam artists are adept at creating web sites that look and feel just like the web sites that you commonly use. For example, they can make an exact duplicate site of your banks web site, in an attempt to trick you into providing them with your username and password, or other sensitive data, such as your account number or credit card number.

In home based business scams, however, things work a bit differently. In this case, the scammer simply wants you to give him your money, in exchange for a load of lies and unfulfilled promises. He doesn't need your bank account information, he just needs payment, which inexperienced hopeful people will happily give him. He will take your money knowing that he is crushing your dreams and draining your bank account - and he won't care.

So, how can you protect yourself from these scammers? The first step is to use good, sound common sense. As always, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Learn to recognize hype, and to avoid offers that are 'hyped.' Hype means that outlandish promises are being made. For example, a scammer might promise you that you can make tens of thousands of dollars in just a few short days, with little or no work. That is a common ploy used in scammy home based business advertisements.

Before you invest your hard earned money in any business venture, you need to fully research the company. Check with the Better Business Bureau first to see if there are any negative reports. You can also pay for a basic background check, which generally costs less than twenty bucks. A great deal can be learned from such basic information.

Use a post office box, instead of your home address, and never give out personal details if you can avoid it. However, when doing business online, many times you will need to provide personal information. When doing so over the Internet, make sure that the site is secure by ensuring that the web site address in your address bar begins with https://, instead of just http://.

Read everything, including the fine print, and make sure that you don't pay for anything until you have read all agreements and such. You should know exactly what you are paying for, before you send that payment. If possible, ask to talk directly with other people who have invested in the business opportunity, and verify who they are. Note that a scammer can put people up to telling you anything that they think that you want to hear, but often, when asked for references and such, a scammer will move on.

Once again, use good common sense in all transactions, and trust your instincts. If it feels wrong, it probably is. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you are unsure, do not move forward until you are sure. The right business opportunity will come along, but by paying attention, and knowing what to be on the lookout for, you won't spend a great deal of time or money investing in business scams. (http://www.topicplanet.com/)

Are Traffic Exchanges a Scam?

Traffic Exchanges aren't for everybody, you know? Who else wants to multiply the hits received by Traffic Exchange sites? Fellow Surfers, one of the best kept secrets ever: The Traffic Exchange Hit System

Did I grab your attention? Well, let talk about Traffic Exchanges. Traffic Exchange can be immensely profitable, but it can also be truly unforgiving for those who don't know what works and what doesn't. This article is about getting you on the right side of the curve, using the techniques that I learnt the *hard way*.

So, which is the winning strategy?

Your business URL's should really take second place to start out with. Yes, that is. You DON'T have to advertise your business URL's on traffic exchange. If you do it, you are out! So, what should you advertise? There are two options here:

1) Advertise other traffic exchange. By concentrating on surfing and advertising your Traffic Exchanges you will in a few short months have so many credits pouring in you can do less surfing and more marketing and advertising with your other business URL's, these credits will mostly be made up from your downlines. If you dedicate to this you will build major downlines in all your traffic exchanges earning you more credits than you will ever need (some exchanges allow you to sell or cash in your credits) and when members upgrade or purchase additional credits you will either receive credits and/or cash also. You will also have the time to start out with brand new exchanges and other businesses – by this time your memberships and downlines will grow really fast whatever you are promoting! I found out the hard way and learnt from this mistake. I concentrated first on my business URL's! What I did not realize is that I should have viewed the traffic exchanges as a business also and not just an advertising medium, because as your traffic downline grows in each exchange so will your credits and cash, and when it comes down to advertising… credits are as good as cash any day. But as an example if you are a member of 20 traffic exchanges and you have 10 upgraded members in each (200 members) giving you say $1 in commission per member each month (check individual member sites for details on referral bonuses and payouts) that is tidy some ($200 each month they remain upgraded). Stick with it and you may find that you are earning more from your traffic exchanges all put together than your business URL you are promoting in the early days!

2) Advertise a splash page to build your list. If you want to know more about this matter, visit my site The Traffic Hit System

Welcome to the elite circle of PROFESSIONAL surfers!(By: Don Spanish)

Beware of Internet Business Scams

As products and services appear on the Internet and there is proof that money can be made through these venues, scam artists are quick to create "look a like" sites that will easily fool consumers and those looking for work at home opportunities.

The Despicable Scam Artists - If you were to take the time to look into the numerous scams and bogus business offers found online it would turn your stomach. It is disgraceful and frightening to see those online surveys, government grants; mystery shoppers and data entry clerks all make the list for scams online. Opportunities that were once available are now cause for red flags and alarms when searching on the Internet.

The Unfortunate Victims - The appeal of working from home can often prove to be more harmful than helpful for many who become victims of fraud through false business opportunities. Millions of dollars from career hopefuls are sent to online business addresses and promises of careers for home businesses are left unmet as a scam artist takes the money and runs.

Fraud victims are often full of paranoia. This can effect your trust in businesses in general. It is an awful feeling to think that there is not a single business remaining that you can put your own personal information and money into.

Guidelines For Scam Protection - Following these suggestions can keep you from becoming a victim. Prevention is the only way to help us and others to keep life for us safe as possible.

If we take the time to protect ourselves, perhaps we can begin to deter those scammers, hackers and online thieves.

* Research a company or business prior to personal involvement. Look for records online shoeing proof that this is a legitimate business.

* Protect your personal information such as your social security number, home address, telephone, email, or bank account details.

* Do not send checks or other payments prior to receiving written information from the company.

* Search for details of a business through the better business bureau.

Prevention and Knowledge Is Key - Knowing how to protect yourself and your loved ones when searching for online opportunities is a must. Though the Internet is a useful tool it has transformed into a portal for thieves, predators, scam artist and other disgraceful types to prey on men, women and children alike.

If we do not take precautions the cases of fraud and scam victims will continue to increase and the Internet will become an even greater threat to personal well-being.

You can learn more about Internet scams on the Internet or through other media such as books at your local library. Arm yourself with knowledge and share it with those around you. Each and every person who is aware of Internet scams is another step towards ending it. (By: Keith Walden)

The Internet is Full Of Scams

I am writing this article for one reason and one reason only – most of the internet businesses marketed as "get rich quick", prey on people who can least afford it and to me this is morally wrong. These companies reach people who have lost their job or had some other misfortune in their life and need to find some way to replace lost income. They are probably down to their last dime and these businesses promise such gigantic rewards. Now how did I come to these conclusions – past experience. The position I had as a contract employee unexpectedly ended during January and by the middle of February, I found myself without much money left. I posted a listing on crags’ list looking for work, as well as registered with Monster.com, Hot Jobs and several other job sites.

By the next week, I was getting all sorts of calls to sell all types of products, but all wanted too much money to buy in. Most of the others after investigation were obvious scams. Then one evening I got a call about a product that interested me. $40 for my website, $10 a month for website maintenance, a product coach, a grant for advertising and a warranty in which I could get my money back after one year if things didn’t work out. There were 200 of these independent agents on the Better Business Bureau site and I checked out each one. Everything looked good so I closed by eyes and jumped in.

The next week a package arrived with two credit card receipts to sign, a copy of the warranty, an application for a credit card and some examples of marketing materials. The warranty was not quite what was explain to me – small details like if I canceled before the year was up, I would owe them around $300 and I had to have at least 12 product training sessions. I also noticed that the company’s name was different; phone numbers were different as was the company address. So, I called and asked about these small problems and was told they were doing so well they had to move into bigger offices. Sounds reasonable! I was given the name of a banker to call about my grant and told that I was to contact him. This person asked me the usual application questions – such as "monthly living expenses", "money in the bank", "do you have any savings" – more like a loan application than a grant.

Being the trusting person I am, I answered all the questions and several days later, I was informed that I qualified for a $10,000 grant – whoopee! I knew I could do some awesome e-marketing with that much money. (Here comes the but) But, to show good faith and belief in myself, the bankers wanted me to put up $1000 at $100 a month. Also I didn’t get a website for $40, just a URL re-directed to the company’s main website – well, it is very hard to do e-marketing on a URL re-direct. I was beginning to have suspicions and asked about the details of the grant. How was that money dispersed etc? No one could answer those simple questions for me except that they guaranteed me 9,500 unique visitors. Well, I have been doing e-market and SEO for about 10 years and that did not seem like a very good return on investment I then asked if the website had all the necessary meta tags for Search Engine Optimization – no one could tell me. But against the advice of the little voice in my head, I made arrangements to start my training. (By: Mary Ann Boulette)

Home Based Business Opportunity Scams

If you surf the internet enough it appears that everyplace you click, you're bombarded with marketing material suggesting how to create more money than you do right now. The bulk of these ads state that you'll generate more money for performing tasks that are casual and non-consequential. What most proponents of home business scams aren't willing to disclose to you is that it's going to require working for numerous hours before you earn a single dime.

Scams are essentially gimmicks to absolve you of money or belongings, by deceit. In simplest terms you are forking over money or articles of commerce for something that: 1. Is nonexistent 2. Does not function 3. Is of exceedingly low quality and/or value 4. Immensely overstates the performance and claims of the products/services 5. Never belonged to the vendor and there's no authorization to sell it 6. Often carry hidden costs with them

The most essential thing you can do to steer clear from being scammed while looking for a home based business opportunity is to execute your calculated research patiently. Several home business scams are constructed to influence you to sign up right away while the questions you need to be asking are not evident to you. A number of online seekers who purchase items on the internet oftentimes rely on their emotional responses instead of specifically examining the product or opportunity with their practical judgment.

Some upfront logical items to complete or ponder before sending money: Ask for all of the initial investments necessary to get involved in the program; to clarify exactly what you get in return for your money. You should request or have access to comprehensive disclosure about the company, the products and the opportunity. The communication with the company offering the home business opportunity should be easy and not forced or hurried. Perform traditional market investigation to find out if the opportunity will appeal to customers. A well-established and superior home business opportunity will actually answer these inquiries for you.

It's vital to not get carried away with the hype and promises that you can earn your money quick and easy, but not every home business opportunity is a scam. If a person learns the proven successful way to employ their website online they can look forward to creating a consistent stream of leveraged income online. It may require months or even years of persistent marketing to see some money; however, there is tangible money to be created with an internet home based business.

Most people who complete their due diligence of research and investigating can ensure that they're not missing an extraordinary opportunity to develop an internet business that has real meaning to their financial futures. (By: Don Downes)

Paid Survey Scams - Why Survey Forums Can Help You From Getting Scammed

How do you avoid paid survey scams? Well, the easy answer is to simply ignore them. But then this begs the question..."how can you ignore them if you don't know what they are?"

Let's be honest, when you swim with the sharks you are going to get bitten every now and again. The internet is now a vast sea of information; it's like the early gold rush days, there are those looking for gold and those who are happy to provide the tools.

Unfortunately, some of those providing the tools online are not entirely doing so for your benefit and in the survey arena, spotting paid survey scams has become a bit of an art form.

Let's take a look at some of the ways which can help you avoid becoming victim to paid survey scams.

Getting The Lowdown On Paid Surveys

Get recommendations. This means you should be asking family and friends firstly if they've completed paid surveys online and been compensated.

If you draw a blank then scan the various survey forums online. In fact, these are as good a guide as you'll get into paid survey scams online.

There are many experienced survey takers frequenting these forums and many of them would have experienced the hard knocks during the learning phase and been taken in by paid survey scams. And believe me, in most cases when chasing income opportunities, taking a hard knock early is part and parcel of the game.

The advice you'll get here will be invaluable. Sometimes it will be straight to the point but don't let this unsettle you. Simply ask on a forum about XYZ site if you have some doubts about it's legitimacy and more often than not, someone else has come across it and can give you advice.

The final alarm bell you should take notice of is having to part with money to get survey opportunities delivered to your inbox. Forget it. Never pay for the privilege of having to take a survey.

It's your input they want and to get it, you are the one who should be rewarded. Paid survey scams can come disguised in many forms but never part with your own money.(Source By: Dean Caporella-Articlebiz.com)