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The swine flu is a hot topic today on the internet, in newspapers, and all over television. Some suspect the media is pig-maskblowing facts out of proportion but there is a cause for concern among consumers none the less. However, as thieves often do, there are already scammers who are using the horrible situation to their own fraudulent advantage.

As more and more information about the latest illness concerns is being brought out by reliable sources, namely the Centers for Disease Control, there are also many with less pleasant intentions taking to the internet to scam you out of your cash and maybe even your identity.

Scammers have already begun sending emails that are meant to appear as new warnings and information about swine flu but in reality pose a real problem to your computer and maybe even your finances. There are email attacks that contain attachments that, if opened, can redirect you to a phishing website or put your computer at risk for contracting a malicious code.

Internet security experts warn computer uses to take active precautions when it comes to dealing with email from sources you do not know or recognize. Never open any email attachment if you do not know the send. Install anti-virus protection and firewalls to protect your PC from attacks. Set your computer to filter spam emails. If an email provides a link in the body text, do not click on it. Delete the message immediately. Make sure your computer security is also kept up to date.

If you want reliable information about the swine flu or other concerns, speak with your doctor or contact the website for the local health agency in your area. Do not trust any website that has swine flu in the URL or any site that asks you to enter your personal or financial information to get more information. Experts report that already several dozen domain names have been reserved using swine flu in some form or another. Chances are good these new sites will try and sell you fake products or information, which many consumers will buy simply out of fear.

Do not let fear inhibit your common sense or your gut instinct. You can be proactive about protecting yourself, your personal information, and your computer and not fall victim to a new scam. There is a lot of unnecessary worries out there, driven by media attention but identity theft and fraud are very real concerns that can affect your health, your wealth, and your well-being.



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