Avoid the top Five Holiday Cyber scams: Be safe, not sorry

Best tips for safe on line holiday experiences

OTTAWA, November 25, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - Canadians continue to embrace online shopping. Last year we bought more than $15 billion of goods and services, up from $12.8 billion in 2007. According to global Internet security provider Trend Micro, increased online activities and financial transactions also mean more opportunities for scammers and hackers. And the holiday season is a perfect time to take advantage of weary shoppers looking for a great deal or gift.

"The convenience of online shopping doesn't have to come at the added cost of being the victim of cyber scam. Much like the real world, if an online deal looks too good to be true, it probably is," says Trend Micro Canada's Ian Gordon, Director of Marketing.

To protect Canadian cyber shoppers this holiday season, Trend Micro offers five of the most popular cyber scams disguised as holiday deals and what you can do to protect yourself:


Holiday Cyber scams to Avoid

1. Online gift cards offered from an unknown e-tailer, an unsecure URL or individuals reselling online Purchase on line gift cards from reputable well-known sites and companies.

2. An email offering this season's hottest laptop or video game for only $100 Shop safely with a sale from a reputable merchant

3. Charities that want your money for a good cause but are vague about their work or offering tax receipts for more than your actual donations Donate to recognized charities through a safe and secure site Make sure the charity's business registration number is clearly visible on the site.

4. Sharing too much information on social media sites like Facebook about your holiday plans Don't give burglars a chance to visit your home alone. Avoid the impulse to share too much information online about your holiday travel plans.

5. Infecting your computer with viruses from email and websites promising fun holiday videos or music Make sure your antivirus software is up to date and blocks access to malicious or infected websites

Teach your children or grandchildren to view content critically and avoid downloading from file-sharing websites and Don't open email, click on links, or accept files from strangers.

OPP Introduces New Program to Help Parents Keep Children Safe Online

ORILLIA, Ontario, November 9, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - With Crime Prevention Week underway (Nov. 7 - 13, 2010), the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has introduced an effective new Cyber Safety program designed to help parents keep their children safe while they are using the Internet.

The OPP Crime Prevention Section developed the program in partnership with Cowan Insurance Group and the OPP Youth Foundation to raise awareness and educate parents about how to ensure that children are having safe online experiences.

While the Internet provides learning opportunities for youth, it also opens the door to the potential exploitation of children, including cyber bullying and other online threats. The program was designed to address these threats and provides all the information parents need, in order to recognize what risks exist as their children learn and play in the online world. It also provides them the tools to be aware of what sites their children are accessing and how to monitor their Internet use.

"The program focuses on parents and prevention, and while officers are active in schools educating our kids about safe Internet use, it's important that parents also be engaged and educated about Internet safety, as they are instrumental in keeping their kids safe while online", said OPP Inspector Mark Allan of the Crime Prevention Section.

The Cyber Safety program consists of a training kit and resource package that will be provided to OPP Community Services Officers and School Resource Officers who will deliver presentations and make this material available to parents in communities throughout the province.

Cyber Safety Program

...The Cyber Safety program was created by the OPP in partnership with the Cowan Foundation, the Ontario Provincial Police Youth Foundation and the Ontario Provincial Police.

...The Cyber Safety Program provides education and awareness designed to provide parents with essential tools to recognize the risks associated to the Internet and to encourage a safer cyber experience for their children while they are online.

...The launch of the Cyber Safety Program coincides with the 2010 Crime Prevention Week theme "Connecting to kids today - preventing crime tomorrow".

...The program consists of a training and resource package which includes a CD, videos, handouts and instructional material.

...The program is the latest example of the various programs created by the OPP and its community partners to promote crime prevention through school-based and community-based activities.

Internet Safety Checklist for Parents

...Parents should discuss the potential dangers of the Internet with their children and educate them on how to handle situations that may arise. Here are some basic steps parents can take to protect their children:

...Be involved and know your child's online activity

...Keep the computer in an open area of the home

...Remind children to protect their passwords; encourage them not to share passwords with friends

...Use caution with web cams, unplug web cams when they're not in use

...Be sure of who they're talking to before allowing them to turn on a web cam and enter your home

...Make sure children are cautious with what they post online

...Know their online friends the same way they know friends in real life

For more information about Internet Safety Tips for parents, go to: http://www.opp.ca/ecms/files/250363925.pdf


For more information about Internet Safety Tips for teens, go to: http://www.opp.ca/ecms/files/250363929.2.pdf


For more information about the OPP Crime Prevention Section, go to: http://www.opp.ca/ecms/index.php?id=47

Cell Phone Towers Dangerous to your Health - National Research Council Journal

OTTAWA, November 5, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - Living near a cell phone tower can be very harmful, according to a study published today by The National Research Council Journal.

The peer reviewed study shows that low-level microwave radiation from cell towers increases Cancer and many other illnesses. These Illnesses "are consistent with microwave exposure" and happen well below the danger limits set by Health Canada.

The study's co-author, Dr. Henry Lai from the University of Washington said microwave radiation levels that caused Leukemia in U.S. Embassy employees in Moscow in the 1970s, are now commonly radiating from cell towers in neighbourhoods where we live.