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If you own a credit card you are a potential victim of crime. When you use it online, this increases the risk of your being had. The following tips reduce the risks associated with using a credit card online:

1. Always check your statements within a few days after they arrive. Criminals may milk your card in small doses and unless you tick each entry you may not detect that one or two purchases have not been delivered to your address.

2. Have a good antivirus / antispyware program that is updated regularly. The most common method used by criminals to get hold of your credit card details is to stealth-install on your computer a tiny program that observes whatever you key in. When you enter your credit card details to purchase a book or record, this tiny program transmits to its master the sequence you would have keyed in. A good antivirus / antispyware suite will protect you against such known threats.

3. Keep your computer updated with the latest software updates. These updates normally address security shortcomings that, if not installed, will allow a hacker to take over your computer with consequences similar to those described above.

4. You should ideally have a computer for the Dr Jekyll side of you and a different computer for when you are Mr Hyde. Since many people do not have money and space to keep two computers, an alternative solution is to use virtualisation technology. This technology allows you to have software based computers residing on your physical computer. Each machine would be independent of the other. You would use the virtual machine for playing around while the physical machine would be used for serious stuff only. Visit VMware (http://www.vmware.com) and Microsoft (http://www.microsoft.com) for free software that allows you to create virtual machines on your computer.

5. Even if you use your computer responsibly, other members of your family might not. Each family member should have his or her own login details and each account should be limited according to the person's needs. For example children tend to click on anything and install any program as long as they get what they want. As a result they should be given restrictive accounts that do not allow them to install programs without your consent.

6. Do not use the same username / password combination all over the internet. Imagine what happens if one of the sites you are subscribed to is hacked and the login credentials are stolen. Hackers will try to use those details to break into other sites. Imagine one of the sites

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