In the hands of the wrong people computers can be used to separate you from your hard earned cash, and also to steal your identity. What surprises me the most is people are continuing to fall for these scams and are lured by the possibility of some easy money. Even the most savvy internet users lose their heads once in a while, and it can cost them dearly.

Nobody can intervene on your behalf if a trickster manages to convince you to part with your money. In order to separate fact from fiction it's important to stick to conventional wisdom, and that is if it's too good to be true, then it probably is.

Short of winning the lottery, or unless you are a billionaire tycoon like Bill Gates or Warren Buffett, there is no way you could make twenty or thirty thousand dollars a week or whatever these internet businesses are claiming these days. I consider myself to be reasonably clever; however I can't think of a single method of generating that much profit in such short a time. Nobody I know has done it either.

So, what does that tell you? Logic dictates that to build a nest egg for your retirement it requires a set of very simple ingredients. Patience, taking the money you earn from your employment and investing it in a diverse portfolio, and time. It's going to take lots and lots of time. Don't pay any attention to these outrageous statements which guarantee you can make thousands of dollars for little or no effort.

If making an online purchase, buy from companies you know and trust. Sometimes it helps to be your own private investigator and ask questions about a company's reputation. Check the Better Business Bureau and see if there are any complaints from consumers, and don't make the same mistake that many others have probably done, and that is trusting online merchants by the quality of their website. Anybody can create a nice, shiny website for a relatively small amount of money, honest and dishonest people alike.

Exercise caution when buying from a person, because as I've said, nobody can do anything for you if the merchandise you ordered is faulty or broken, or if it never arrives at all. You'll be out in the cold.

Never, ever give out credit card or social security/insurance numbers when confirming your identity. Delete any pop-up messages on your computer screen, and if you get an e-mail which looks like it's from your bank, get rid of it! NEVER reveal your account information online, your identity could be stolen and the personal and financial consequences could be dire.

Learn more about this author, Scott Hayden.
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