As products and services appear on the Internet and there is proof that money can be made through these venues, copy cats, hackers, and scam artists are quick to create twin sites that will easily fool consumers and those looking for work at home opportunities. Bank information, personal information (SSN), and physical money are taken fraudulently creating victims of fraud, Internet scam and identity theft. Far too many people believe that this cannot happen to him or her, as this is just not the case.

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. Once you become a victim of fraud you become full of paranoia. You no longer have a trust for 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. Thought 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: Cherie Ang

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Are you wanting to apply for a new credit card but feeling hesitant to perform the application online? If so, you need not be concerned. Advances in the technology of secure e-commerce have made online applications literally safer than filling out a paper application and mailing it through the US Postal Service. Here’s why.

SSL Technology

First, banking institutions that offer online credit card applications use the most up-to-date technology to ensure that their web sites are protected against intrusion and data theft. This technology is known as SSL, which stands for Secure Sockets Layer, a transmission protocol that “encrypts” any data sent between the bank and your computer, such as all the personal information you need to fill out when applying.

Encryption

What exactly is encryption? It is a sophisticated mathematical process that disguises data by altering the bits of information in ways that are undecipherable to others. You have probably done encryption in your childhood days when you sent messages to friends in school using a secret language such as reversing the alphabet, so that A meant Z, and Z meant A. That early game was actually a form of encryption.

In the early days of the Internet, encryption used 40-bits, which meant that a character of data could be transformed into another character in any one of 2 to the 40th power ways, which is approximately 1 trillion ways. But as large as that number is, computer security experts realized that people, including criminals, who had access to very powerful computers could crack 40-bit encryption in a short period of time, ranging from a few days to a few seconds depending on the power of their computers.

Therefore, in the late 1990s, a much more powerful type of encryption was introduced using 128 bits. This means that each character of data can be altered in any of 2 to the 128th power ways, a code which represents an astronomical number of possible variations that would take on the order of 20,000 years to break using today’s fastest computers. The use of 128-bit encryption has thus completely altered the safety of data.

Two Encryption Keys Required

Furthermore, today’s encryption methods use what is called the “two-key” algorithm whereby the sending computer and the receiving computer use both a “public” key and a “private” key to encrypt and then decrypt any data exchanged between them. The process is complex to explain, but suffice it to say that the two-key approach makes it impossible for all intents and purposes for an outside party such as a criminal to capture and interpret any data transmitted between two computers over an Internet site using SSL technology - because the criminals will not have both keys.

Online Credit Card Applications - No Safer Method

In short, SSL technology virtually guarantees that if you fill out a credit card application over the Internet using a bank’s secure application page, all your personal information can never be stolen or broken into.

Compare this to a paper application which you send via the US Post Office. Think about how many mailboxes are broken into each year and how many pieces of mail are somehow lost - and you will now realize that applying over the Internet is actually the most secure method you can find.

So if you want or need a new credit card in order to expand your credit capabilities or to get bonus points or travel rewards, the best thing to do is to go to one of the web sites that allows you to compare offers, then click through to the secure web site for the bank you choose to fill out their online application. You will also benefit from this because your application will be processed within minutes and you can often get an immediate approval rather than waiting weeks as you do when you mail in a paper application.

All in all, rest assured that computer security experts are working hard to protect consumers from crime and identity theft as Internet banking, e-commerce, and credit card payments are increasingly processed online.



By: Ed Vegliante

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Credit cards popularity has increased over the last 20 years. There is a wide range of credit cards available out there and they are now accessible almost for everyone. There are unique cards that offer lots of benefits to the holders. Some cards have small fees and offer a pack of rewards in exchange, but there are also cards with no fees, no charge for balance transfers and you will even find 0% interest rates offers for a period of time.

Wide range of Credit Cards

You can not even begin to imagine how many options are out there. There is a huge variety of cards ranging from Business credit cards, Rewards credit cards, Low interest credit cards, Student credit cards, Airline Rewards credit cards, Sub-prime credit cards, Secured and unsecured credit cards and so on. There are so many options that sometimes it can become very difficult to choose a particular one or compare the options to see which one best suits your needs.

The credit card industry has grown outstandingly in the last decade, since the market keeps growing everyone wants a share and new companies continue to add options to the already crowded market. Also taking this into account long-established credit card providers are offering better terms on their traditional cards. Thus, the key to getting the right card for you is to get an organized comparison of what the market has to offer and see which credit card has the most advantageous terms. This is best done by searching online for sites comparing different type of credit cards. These sites will also let you apply for the cards online so you will not even have to move from your home in order to get approved.

Shopping online

Overcoming common but unjustified fears, more and more people are shopping online. Online shopping has become safe and regular practice for young people who feel more comfortable shopping online than in regular stores. Credit cards have a lot to do with this new approach to shopping and you can easily notice that’s almost impossible to find an online store that does not have credit cards as a payment option, furthermore in many cases it is the only payment option available.

Most credit cards have a number of customer protection programs to make sure their clients are not victims of fraud or identity theft by the use of credit cards in online stores. Moreover, through some insurance policies, the credit card companies or their affiliate insurance companies take responsibility for frauds and unsuccessful transactions and compensate the client with a reimbursement.

Traveling Abroad

Credit cards have also become a reliable aid when traveling abroad. Paying with a credit card saves you from the trouble of exchanging currency and the dangers that this transaction implies when you do not do it on a well known institution which are not easily found everywhere. Many Credit cards also offer medical aid when abroad and free emergency telephone calls. Also when lost or stolen you can easily cancel them to prevent them from being used by calling a toll-free telephone number. Since most credit card companies have offices all over the world, you can get personalized assistance everywhere and your cards can be replaced if stolen, lost or damaged.



By: Melissa Kellett

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Credit card fraud is a constant cause of concern for almost every credit card or debit card user. After all, having your credit card details stolen means that it’s more than your money that is in danger of being taken away from you - your name, personal address and your personal identity will all be under threat as well. The last major credit card scandal to rock news headlines, for instance, occurred in March 2007 when US company TJX, the owners of UK retail outlet TK Maxx, revealed that at least 45.7 million payment card details from its customers had been stolen by hackers.

While the TK Maxx credit card scandal sent shockwaves through the credit card statements of many UK consumers, it’s important to see the scale of this particular case as an anomaly rather than the norm. In fact, a recent survey by APACS, the UK payments association, shows that total card fraud losses have continued to fall between 2004 and 2006. Last year, total card fraud losses across the UK stood at £428 million - that’s three per cent lower than 2005’s figure of £439.4 million. In turn, the 2005 statistics were an improvement from 2004, at which time total card fraud accounted for over £500 million.

While fraud on stolen or lost cards and mail-non receipt fraud dropped significantly in 2006 - by a staggering 23 per cent and 62 per cent respectively - other types of card fraud are still on the up. The biggest increase in credit card fraud has been in the card-not-present category - by which card fraud that has occurred over the phone, mail or internet. This category saw fraud rise by a whole 16 per cent.

In fact, online card fraud has been a major concern for many consumers of late as the breadth of the goods and services offered on the internet means that more and more people are paying for products over the internet. However, many credit card companies are taking action to ensure that credit card fraud due to online payments is as minimal as possible.

Visa, for instance, have just launched Verified by Visa - a new service that, once activated, requires the cardholder to enter a personally-set password every time they make a payment online. By using this identity protecting format, Verified by Visa technology allows Visa cardholders to minimise the risk of having their card details stolen online and offers a new method of online payments that is sure to see results.

If you’re looking for a new credit card provider online, and credit card security is one of your primary concerns, you’ll be able to compare credit cards over the internet to establish which credit card companies offer you the best safeguards against security and card fraud. Of course, whatever credit card company you ultimately opt for, it’s always crucial to adhere to basic preventative advice - such as not giving your credit card to any person you don’t trust, and not throwing away your card when it’s expired, but cutting it up instead. Taking these basic precautions against card fraud will minimise the risk of identity theft and will bolster any protection your credit card company might be able to give you.



By: Adam Singleton

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I believe thoroughly that a vast number of United States citizens are opposed to cockfighting as a sport. While many of those people have developed their beliefs based upon false information & exaggerated claims. I have seen large amounts of information posted throughout the internet attempting to educate the public regarding cocking, but it has been to little avail.

I am sure that a large number of people will look at the first little bit of this post and dismiss it as another cockfighting advocate who is trying to plead his case to you. That is not the primary purpose of this article. While I may briefly mention my beliefs, the majority of this post will be revealing to you what your beliefs are, as that is the topic at hand.

The fact is that many of these individuals cannot see past the visions of blood, gore and abuse that has been planted in their heads by the animal rights agenda. They have been told countless stories, many of which were perversions of the truth, regarding fowl forced to fight, while their owners cry out with a bloodlust that would rival that of Vlad the Impaler of ancient times. They picture a setting where prostitutes and drug dealers are plying their trade in open view, while advocates of poor personal hygiene beat their wives and children behind the bleachers. They write their checks to the HSUS with a tear in their eye as they picture a cute, cuddly chicken with intelligence rivaling that of a primate, are taught by humans to fight, and tortured if they refuse to do so.

All of those beliefs are far from the truth in most cases, but they give the public a warm, fuzzy feeling as they send in their donations. The donation fills that human need to feel like you have made a difference in the world. It is today that I will tell you what difference some of you have made in this world.

Of course I understand fully why many don’t believe the things they hear from advocates of cockfighting, as cockers would have something to gain by getting the majority to see in their perspective. Ask yourself, what they would have to gain, and the only reasonable answer is that they would regain their right to participate in the sport that they love.

On the other hand, the animal rights agenda would have something to gain by winning you over to their side. What they have to gain is not a liberty, or preservation of their heritage, but cold, hard cash. The almighty dollar has historically brought many men and women to commit many dastardly deeds. It would be nothing more than farce to tell yourselves that no one would stoop to spreading false information in an effort to gain your hard earned dollars.

While many of you were enjoying your warm, fuzzy feeling, your state legislature was hijacked by individuals with some seriously distorted priorities. I do not intend to, in this post, discuss my beliefs any further. Instead I am going to discuss your beliefs, as a group. I am not going to make assumptions, but discuss documented facts.

When you elect a state legislator or representative, you choose that person to do their best to fill your needs, and extend your beliefs into the halls of your state capitol. These individuals are representing you in their actions, in their votes and in their statements. You are implying your approval of their performance when you re-elect them, or when you do not protest their actions.

It is my belief that you do not know what it is that your representatives are telling the world that you stand for. Most of you are not attorneys or otherwise employed in the legal profession, so you join the age old practice of just being a good, decent citizen as a means of steering clear of legal problems, and this works most of the time. Most of you have not seen the inside of a courtroom, other than possibly for answering a speeding ticket, performing jury duty, or maybe for divorce proceedings. As a result, you do not have vast knowledge regarding your state’s laws. I think that many of you will be appalled at what you find here today, and will be very surprised if you agree with what you learn. Even if you are an opponent of cockfighting, surely many of you will not like what you learn.

I will now discuss some laws from Alaska, Arizona, and Colorado. I will not spend much time commenting, but presenting facts. I believe any human being with reasonable priorities will be outraged at these facts, and hope that maybe someone in those states will demand that their representatives start making sense. Again, I am not asking you to support cockfighting here, I am asking you to reflect upon your order of priorities.

In Alaska, cockfighting is a class C felony. Of course many aren’t quite sure what that means other than the obvious, which is that it is a crime. To help you gain a better perspective, I will list for you a partial list of other crimes that are a class C felony in Alaska. This list includes:

1. 3rd degree assault

2. 1st degree stalking

3. 1st degree custodial interference (taking a child across state lines without parental permission)

4. 3rd degree sexual assault

5. 3rd degree sexual abuse of a minor

6. Incest

7. 2nd degree theft

8. 2nd degree burglary

9. 2nd degree forgery

10. 1st degree endangering the welfare of a child

11. 3rd degree escape (breaking out of jail)

12. Riot

13. Indecent viewing of photography (child pornography specifically)

14. Recruiting a gang member 1st degree

15. 3rd degree misconduct involving weapons

16. Unlawful furnishing of explosives

Now, ask yourself if you consider cockfighters to be equal to pedophiles, gang-bangers, thieves, and violent criminals. If your answer is yes, then I am very surprised. If the answer is no, then maybe you should choose someone who will represent your beliefs a little better when the next election occurs. In the meantime, I believe that if I were in your shoes, my state representative would have a lot of explaining to do. Maybe he should explain why a gamecock is as deserving of protection as your child.

Now on to Arizona. In Arizona, cockfighting is a Class 5 felony. What is a class 5 felony? Below you will find some examples of other Class 5 felonies:

1. Aggravated assault

2. Aggravated criminal damage

3. Theft of property ($2,000 - $3,000 value)

4. Promoting prison contraband (smuggling drugs into a prison)

5. Surreptitious photographing, videotaping, filming, digitally recording, or viewing (hidden cameras in public bathrooms, dressing rooms etc.)

6. Child or vulnerable adult abuse

7. Unlawful sexual conduct

8. Arson of a structure or property

9. Unlawful introduction of a disease or parasite (germ warfare/domestic terrorism)

10. Unlawfully administering intoxicating liquors, narcotic drug, or dangerous drug to a minor

11. Sexual abuse of a victim under 15 years old

12. Stalking

13. Firearm possession by an adjudicated delinquent

14. Public sexual indecency to a minor (forcing a child to watch sex acts committed by you)

15. Escape in the second degree (jailbreak)

16. Abandonment or concealment of a dead body

17. Causing spouse to become a prostitute

18. Detention of persons in a house of prostitution for debt

19. Aggravated domestic violence

20. Unlawful sale or purchase of children (this is not a misprint)

Is this what you stand for? Is a cockfighter comparable to someone selling children on the black market, someone holding a woman prisoner forcing her to be a prostitute, or someone who forces a child to have sex with him or her? If your answer is yes, then you should commend your representative, since he or she is doing their job and representing your beliefs. If your answer is no, then please ask yourself why your legislator is still in office. I hope you will make your beliefs known either way.

Now on to Colorado. In Colorado, cockfighting is a Class 5 felony with the first offense, and a class 4 felony on subsequent offenses. Without further adieu, here is a list of crimes in Colorado that are class 4 and class 5 felonies:

1. Escape

2. Unlawful dispensing, distribution, manufacturing or sale of a schedule 1 or 2 controlled substance.

3. Possession, control, manufacture, sending or mailing an explosive device

4. Possession of a dangerous weapon by previous offender

5. Child abuse resulting in serious injury to child

6. Inducing consumption of a controlled substance by fraudulent means (giving someone a drug without their knowledge, commonly followed up by date rape)

7. Dueling

8. Unlawfully providing a juvenile with a handgun

9. Internet sexual exploitation of a child

10. 2nd and 3rd degree arson

11. Internet luring of a child for purpose of sexual exploitation

12. Death by negligence

13. Enticement of a child for purpose of sexual assault or sexual misconduct

14. Unlawful sexual contact (sex with an adult who is unconscious)

15. Identity theft

16. Sexual assault on a child

17. Sexual assault on a client by a psychotherapist

18. Vehicular eluding with results in bodily injury to another person

19. Engaging in a riot

20. Contraband in 1st degree involving a dangerous instrument (smuggling weapons to a prisoner)

21. Criminal extortion

22. Incest

23. 2nd degree assault

24. Criminal abortion

25. Stalking

26. Sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust (schoolteacher, parent, etc)

27. 2nd degree kidnapping

28. Child abuse

29. Manslaughter

30. Vehicular homicide

Is this what Colorado residents stand for? Are killers of humans, pedophiles, and kidnappers no more dangerous or heinous than cockfighters? Your state’s laws say that your answer is yes to both questions. If your answer is no, here is your opportunity to make a difference.

If you live in one of these states, and you don’t protest, and if you re-elect your current representatives you are telling the world that these are the things you stand for. You believe that allowing a chicken to fight another chicken is as heinous as all of the crimes listed above. You also believe that humans deserve no more protection than a chicken. I will be very surprised if that is the case, as I have faith in the human race. I do not believe that the general population has such a twisted list of priorities.

I was personally both surprised and disgusted when I researched this information, and I hope that you share those feelings. I also hope that you do something to change it. If you don’t do something, I sincerely hope that you are never the victim of one of those crimes that are equal to cockfighting.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, and we have not covered the most outrageous of my finds in my research. More states will follow, and I am Darren U. Talissen

Be as game as a gamecock, and fight for what’s right.



By: Darren U. Talissen

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