If you see a link to a suspicious web site do a google search on it with scam or fraud.
e.g. search for xxx.com (fraud OR scam OR blacklist) where xxx is the site url.
Terms:
Malware
Malware is a hybrid of the phrase " malicious software ". Malware is an all encompassing catch-all term to describe any program whose function is at least partially malicious. Spyware and Adware are types of malware. Malware also includes viruses, worms and trojans.
Spyware - Adware
Spyware represents a wide range of software ranging from the relatively harmless to the highly dangerous. It does not self replicate like worms or viruses but can be equally destructive if not more so.
In it's least malicious form spyware is used as a marketing tool by looking at what banner ads you look at or your web surfing habits in order to target you with specific pop-up ads.
At its most destructive and dangerous, spyware can perform real-time tracking and recording from a remote location of all the keyboard presses made on an unsuspecting user's computer - including the recording of private and personal information such as usernames, passwords and bank account details.
See: Virus - Security Page in Technology in technology
Fake Check Scams
Consumers paid with phony checks for work or items sold, instructed to wire money back. See Overpayment scam
Nigerian Money Offers (419 scams)
False promises of riches if consumers pay to transfer money to their bank accounts. 419 refers to the part of the Nigerian criminal code covering this.
Pfishing
A term denoting "spoofed" emails and fraudulent Websites that look like they are legitimate banks (e.g. PayPal, Bank of America),
designed to fool recipients into divulging personal financial data such as
credit card numbers, account usernames and passwords, social security
numbers, etc. By hijacking the trusted brands of well-known banks, online
retailers and credit card companies, phishers are able to convince up to 5%
of recipients to respond to them.
