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"Thanks to your good effort in helping me transfer funds from my international bank account I am very busy with new projects at hand. I will like very much to compensate you in the sum of $1,500,000.00 USD the amountofwhich may be confirmed through my barrister. Mr. James Brown. The consulate of Nigerian Travels and my investment partner from Germany have helped me to transfer successfully monies in your name, I will need your good US bank name and account number to be given to Mr. James Brown. The success of which will result in you receiving a sum of $1,500,000.00 USD in direct funds to your bank account."

Fantastic! You've just somehow earned over a million dollars by opening a poorly-worded e-mail. Scams like this one weasel their way to inboxes all over the country on a daily basis. All too often, victims let that small glimmer of hope take over and proceed to divulge their name, Social Security number, bank account information and more to the unscrupulous creators of e-mail and internet scams.

While people are victimized over the internet every day, it is easily avoidable. The following practical tips will help you protect yourselves and your loved ones from falling prey to the vultures who would take advantage of your personal information:

1. Be aware that the promise of money for nothing is always empty. How many people do you know personally who have won, or even participated in, the Zimbabwe National Lottery? Of course, the Zimbabwe National Lottery doesn't cost anything; they draw their entries from a pool of Microsoft and Yahoo! e-mail addresses, and they're giving away FREE MONEY!

2. When signing up for free coupons and online deals, know that you're very likely gift-wrapping your e-mail address and personal information and handing them to a company who will then sell them - yes, for a profit - to their "partner companies." The "partner companies," whose terms of service you have not read, can turn around and sell it again. This is how the folks running the Zimbabwe National Lottery get your name and e-mail address, increasing your chances to win.

3. Paying bills online is one thing; purchasing from a company you've never heard of before is another. When shopping online, check the references and qualifications of the seller. Are they affiliated with a major shopping website? Do they have a physical store location? Unfortunately, hard-to-find items are often easiest to find online; do your homework on the company, including calling a customer service number before ordering to ensure that you can reach a live person should the need arise. The telephone number given by the Zimbabwe National Lottery never gets picked up.

4. Avoid getting pulled into proposed investments online. The United States Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) maintains records of each time they have sued a newsletter or stock promoter for false dealings with consumers. They also keep a searchable database of reputable dealers (www.sec.gov).

5. If someone tells you that you can't afford to miss this exciting opportunity, rest assured that they can't afford for you to research their outlandish claims. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regularly posts detailed lists of common Internet scams (www.fbi.gov) and even offers free e-mail notifications to inform you when new cons are discovered.

Exercise caution and common sense when giving your personal information to anyone on the Internet. It will save you headaches, heartaches, and money. While you'll have to miss out on the grand prize in the Zimbabwe National Lottery, your security and peace of mind are worth more than $1,500,000.

Learn more about this author, Angie Papple.
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