Debunk Mates

By THOMAS SHEPLEY

 
The Nigerian Scam. The Nieman-Marcus cookie recipe. Phony virus warnings. We’ve all seen hoax emails like these.
 
It can be difficult to know what information you read is important, whether you need to act upon it, or whether you need to let friends and family know it.
 
Before you forward that email to everyone in your address book, take a minute to verify what you’re reading and to protect yourself. There are several websites that are more authoritative than others.
 
www.ftc.gov
The Federal Trade Commission is an excellent source. Particularly good are the sections on privacy and security and Internet scams. Go to www.ftc.gov, select Consumer Protection and then Consumer Information from the top menu. The consumer category to look at is Computers and the Internet.
 
www.snopes.com 
This is one of the best sites to check the accuracy of email-spread stories such as the cookie recipe. Run by Barbara and David Mikkelson, Snopes is treasure trove of information about tales and myths.
 
Finally, any message warning of the effects of a virus or mal-ware can be checked at your virus software vendor’s website. They will tell you if the threat is real or not. If it is a problem, they will tell you how to protect your PC.
 
 
Thomas Shepley is the library services administrator for Chesterfield County Public Libraries. Contact him at ShepleyT@chesterfield.gov.