In last week's newsletter I outlined how easy it is to fall for an e-mail impersonator. But there's no need to sit under the covers and hide. This week I'll point to a few articles that unmask the tricks that hoaxers use and I'll show you how to circumvent them.

Cyber-Shenanigans

Last week I talked about AOL, EarthLink, and EBay impersonators. Well, PayPal users also get their share of e-mail hoaxes. For all the gory details, including a similar e-mail targeting AOL users, read "PayPal Users Targeted by E-Mail Scam--Again." And Yahoo users aren't exempt from being swindled out of their personal information. We have the short story on that, too.

Dig This: How smart are you? I got only two right on this neat-o brain teaser, probably because I'm not nearly as bright as I look. [With thanks to Philip Barnes-Roberts.]

Digital Camera Deceptions

If you're planning on buying a camera online, there's one article you have to read. Daniel Tynan and Tom Spring, two of PCWorld.com's top investigative reporters, went undercover to find out how some online stores can sell digital cameras for $300 below list price. Our authors blow the lid on gray-market warranties, hard sells, and raw deals. Expose yourself to the sordid details in "Camera Confidential."

Protect Yourself: Here's How

Each of the e-mail deceptions I profiled last week had at least one glaring error to give it away. Usually it was a misspelling, either in the message or on the Web form--so be on the lookout for shoddy spelling. Beyond that, I've got some advice for protecting yourself from potential rip-offs.

Keep your password private. Don't give your password to anyone, for any reason, by way of e-mail. Ditto for your credit card number. It's just too easy to forge an e-mail message.

Examine the address. If you're asked to click a link and you land on a page that looks real, check your browser's address field to determine if it's genuine. Even if you see "ebay," or "paypal" at the start of the URL, it's sometimes difficult to determine if the link really leads to a scammer's page instead. In particular, watch for "@" signs, because your browser ignores all characters before that symbol. If the address field in your browser is small, you may have to fiddle with its size or scroll to the right with your arrow keys.

For instance, http://www.paypal.com-billing:feb-2003-paypal,verification.asp@www.pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,86524,00.asp leads to my newsletter, "Home Office: More Sleazy Web Sites," not to a PayPal site. If you're not sure about a URL, copy the link from the address field and head for Sam Spade.org, my favorite URL examination site. Insert the URL into the Decipher field and you'll see the real target of the link.

You could also try deleting everything before and including the "@" sign and see where the URL takes you.

Use your noggin. If you land on a Web site that looks real, stop and think for a second. Why would the Web site need your driver's license number and social security number, as well as your mother's maiden name? Instead of filling out the form, forward the e-mail to spam@ebay.com (or spam@aol.com--get the idea?) and ask if they'll verify this is legit.

Dig This: Warning! Don't play with Fly Guy if you've got work to do. [With thanks to Harry M.] Hint: After you click, use your arrow keys. And be sure to head up to outer space.

More Threats? Sure...

I'm not the only one at PCWorld.com worrying about you. Our very own Liane Cassavoy doesn't want you to be hassled by e-mail worms or other nasties. She tells you about them, and includes some avoidance techniques, in "Security Threats to Beware of in 2003."

And did you know that some of the bogus e-mail warnings floating around may actually cause harm? Stuart J. Johnston tells you in "Bugs and Fixes: How to Spot Virus Hoaxes a Mile Off." It's worth the read.

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