No Guardian Angels on the Net

Don't be rattled by Web hazards. Just call on the right tools, common sense, and a dash of skepticism.

Harry McCracken

It came as a rude awakening--literally. As I dozed in bed one recent Sunday morning, the phone rang. A rep from my bank was on the line, wondering whether I had used my credit card to pay for any phone calls lately. In Moscow.

Well, no. As I soon learned, I was one of a throng of shoppers whose card numbers had evidently been swiped from an e-commerce site and then billed for bogus telecom charges by a Russian company. At last report, the FBI was on the case.

My bank quickly reversed the spurious charges, canceled the card, and issued a replacement. I lost only sleep and time. And maybe a little innocence. Sure, I've reported on the underbelly of the Web for years. But until that call, my biggest personal cyber-headache had been managing my spam-infested in-box.

The Dangers Are Real

At least I could consider my brush with online crime a bit of unexpected research for PC World's first-ever special issue on Internet dangers. Peruse the articles we've assembled, and you'll meet Web users whose lives have been touched--even damaged--by Net threats, including an investor who lost a staggering $41,000 to an alleged pump-and-dump stock scam. We also check in with law enforcement officials, independent watchdogs, and even a few hackers to find out just who's prowling the Web these days.

Most important, we rounded up dozens of tools, resources, and strategies you can use to safeguard your privacy and keep your data secure. Among the highlights: "The Ten Commandments of Internet Privacy" ("Privacy Matters"), our picks of the best security utilities ("Fortress PC"), and a parent's guide to Web dangers ("Safe Kids").

It all adds up to a crash course in online self-defense--an essential skill given Internet companies' spotty record of protecting their customers. Take a look at the evidence in this issue. Privacy policies are posted everywhere--yet sites don't always stick to them. Online auctions tout antifraud policies, but many burned bidders say that the protection isn't nearly as comprehensive or generous as it sounds.

Then there are the unintentional ways that sites leave customers in the lurch. For instance, so many companies have bungled server security recently that you'd think the Three Stooges had consulting contracts with some of them. (As we were wrapping up this issue, Amazon.com's Bibliofind site alerted me and other patrons to "a security violation on its site that compromised the security of some customers' credit card information." Oops.)

Of course, businesses are most likely to shield customers from harm when doing so also defends their corporate bottom line. My bank's speedy reaction to the Russian charges, for instance, protected its own pocketbook: Federal law mandates that I would have been responsible for only the first $50 of any unauthorized billing to my account. No wonder the bank got that card canceled pronto.

Lawmakers vs. Lawbreakers

Speaking of laws, don't expect the government to rid the Web of bad guys. Agencies such as the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission continue to ramp up their online efforts, but it's all too easy for wily crooks to hide behind anonymous e-mail accounts or fly-by-night Web sites and then abandon them at a moment's notice. Nor does Web crime observe any international boundaries, which makes government action even tougher. The National Consumer League's Internet Fraud Watch program reports that complaints concerning companies outside the United States and Canada have risen by 230 percent over the past year.

Ultimately, the Internet remains so useful and entertaining that it's hard to remember life without it. Don't let its occasional hazards rattle you. Just take care to protect yourself against those dangers with the right tools and techniques, common sense, and a healthy dash of good old-fashioned skepticism. We hope you'll agree that this issue offers plenty of just those essential ingredients.

Coming Up in June

So Help Me: We expose the true state of technical support and tell you where to turn next time your vendor lets you down.

Take Control of Your E-Mail: Tips and tricks for making full use of your e-mail program, whether you're a novice or a longtime user.

Sites of Passage: Don't leave home or your office without reading our must-have guide to Web travel sites and services.

Meet the Digital Video Cameras: Image quality is up and prices are down. Find out which big-name models do what you want.

Black-and-White Workhorse Lasers: Find the right monochrome printer to shoulder your corporate or small-office workload.

Harry McCracken is an executive editor for PC World.