Using the Internet Safely For Seniors

Figure 3-12

Understand the Risks in Contests and Sweepstakes

If you spend any time online, you’ve seen ads claiming things like “You

are already a winner; click here.” (See Figure 3-13.) Or “Click to enter

our sweepstakes and win fabulous prizes.” You probably also receive

spam informing you that you’ve “Won the lottery.”

These offers have only one purpose — to make money for the sender

or advertiser. At best, they make you jump through all kinds of hoops

to get the “free” prize. It’s much more likely, however, that you will get

nothing, but have given a lot – your personal information, preferences,

and so on. That information may be resold to reputable, or to less than

reputable, companies, organizations, and individuals.

A site’s privacy policy

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Part I: The Foundation of Using the Internet Safely