The Occult Bot

The IFCC (Internet Fraud Complaint Center) received over 200,000 complaint submissions for 2004, an increase of 66.6% from 2003. The total dollar loss from all referred cases exceeded 68 million dollars, an average loss of $894 per complaint. There are many types of internet frauds that exist including auction, email, foreign investment letters and online dating. Here are some ways to identify a possible scam or fraud that you may have encountered while surfing the internet.

Auctions

Auction sites are one of the best places to purchase and sell items. They are also one of the easiest places to become an internet fraud victim. Auction fraud represented 71% of the total referred fraud complaints. How the scam works is that you win the auction, but never receive the item. Most of the time the auction site cannot assist you in recovering the money stolen. They will remove the member’s account and disqualify the member’s email address from their site but are not able to do much else. It is in your best interest to research each seller before making any purchases.
Auction sites have a rating system for their members and I would advise you to check this and their profile for certain clues. The first is to check how many sales have been completed and the response from the buyers. I would suggest no less than a hundred transactions for moderately priced items (less than a hundred dollars). A scammer will become a member and sell fifty items for a dollar or less usually in a week or two to build up his member rating. Then they will post twenty auctions ending within a day of each other for items that retail for over a hundred dollars but they are selling them for an unprofitable amount. Again, research a seller’s auction history before placing your bid. Also, if Western Union or similar is stated to be the only form of payment, move right on to the next auction.

Fraudulent Email

Email is a great form of communication and also an easy target for schemers. Electronic mail is the primary mechanism by which a perpetrator makes contact representing 63% compared to just 7% by phone. Fraud victims will receive an email with a link stating that their account information needs to be updated. Upon clicking on the link you are taken to a page that looks almost identical to the member page and asks you to enter in your name, address, social security number, checking account routing number and/or credit card number. When you hit the submit button, your information is instantly shuttled to someone waiting to separate you from your money. Before submitting your information, verify that you are truly on the site that the link states it is taking you.

Foreign Investment Letter

Another popular email scheme is an email from a foreign country stating that they have millions that need to be transferred to the United States but need a bank account to finalize the transaction. The sender of the email is willing to give you a percentage of the amount transferred in exchange for using your bank account. Never submit your social security number and checking account or credit card number via an email or an unfamiliar website. This is also known as Nigerian letter fraud and among one of the highest dollar loss frauds with an average of $3000.

Online Dating

You would also be surprised how easily people give their hard earned money away to people they meet over the internet but not in person. The victim meets someone in a chat room or message board and builds a friendship with the perpetrator who usually sends the victim a picture of an attractive person. When the time comes to meet, the schemer admits to not having the money for airfare and expenses, so the victim sends the money via Western Union or similar money transfer service, never to hear back from the person again.

Avoiding Scams

Here are a few ways to avoid becoming a victim of a scam:

1. Do not disclose your social security number, credit card or banking numbers to anyone you do not feel comfortable with.


2. Check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB.org) and Scambusters.com before making a purchase from an unfamiliar website and company.


3. When purchasing items online avoid force seller tactics. If they can’t wait, then tell them you’re not buying. Whenever possible, use escrow. Escrow is a third party who holds the money until the item or service has been delivered to the buyer.


4. Avoid Western Union or similar forms of payment at all costs.


5. Most importantly, do your research.

Please visit the IFCC or view the annual report at http://www1.ifccfbi.gov/strategy/statistics.asp for more information about internet fraud.

James Junior is a freelance writer and web programmer for http://www.jccorner.com

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Most people on the internet are good, honest people. However, there are some people browsing the internet who derive fun from poking around websites and finding security holes. A few simple tips can help you secure your website in the basic ways. Now, obviously, the subject of data security is a complicated one and way beyond the scope of this column. However, I will address the very basics one should do which will alleviate many potential problems that might allow people to see things they shouldn’t.

Password Protecting Directories

If you have a directory on your server which should remain private, do not depend on people to not guess the name of the directory. It is better to password protect the folder at the server level. Over 50% of websites out there are powered by Apache server, so let’s look at how to password protect a directory on Apache.

Apache takes configuration commands via a file called .htaccess which sits in the directory. The commands in .htaccess have effect on that folder and any sub-folder, unless a particular sub-folder has its own .htaccess file within. To password protect a folder, Apache also uses a file called .htpasswd . This file contains the names and passwords of users granted access. The password is encrypted, so you must use the htpasswd program to create the passwords. To access it, go to the command line of your server and type htpasswd. If you receive a “command not found” error then you need to contact your system admin. Also, bear in mind that many web hosts provide web-based ways to secure a directory, so they may have things set up for you to do it that way rather than on your own. Barring this, let’s continue.

Type “htpasswd -c .htpasswd myusername” where “myusername” is the username you want. You will then be asked for a password. Confirm it and the file will be created. You can double check this via FTP. Also, if the file is inside your web folder, you should move it so that it is not accessible to the public. Now, open or create your .htaccess file. Inside, include the following:

AuthUserFile /home/www/passwd/.htpasswd
AuthGroupFile /dev/null
AuthName “Secure Folder”
AuthType Basic

require valid-user

On the first line, adjust the directory path to wherever your .htpasswd file is. Once this is set up, you will get a popup dialog when visiting that folder on your website. You will be required to log in to view it.

Turn Off Directory Listings

By default, any directory on your website which does not have a recognized homepage file (index.htm, index.php, default.htm, etc.) is going to instead display a listing of all the files in that folder. You might not want people to see everything you have on there. The simplest way to protect against this is to simply create a blank file, name it index.htm and then upload it to that folder. Your second option is to, again, use the .htaccess file to disable directory listing. To do so, just include the line “Options -Indexes” in the file. Now, users will get a 403 error rather than a list of files.

Remove Install Files

If you install software and scripts to your website, many times they come with installation and/or upgrade scripts. Leaving these on your server opens up a huge security problem because if somebody else is familiar with that software, they can find and run your install/upgrade scripts and thus reset your entire database, config files, etc. A well written software package will warn you to remove these items before allowing you to use the software. However, make sure this has been done. Just delete the files from your server.

Keep Up with Security Updates

Those who run software packages on their website need to keep in touch with updates and security alerts relating to that software. Not doing so can leave you wide open to hackers. In fact, many times a glaring security hole is discovered and reported and there is a lag before the creator of the software can release a patch for it. Anybody so inclined can find your site running the software and exploit the vulnerability if you do not upgrade. I myself have been burned by this a few times, having whole forums get destroyed and having to restore from backup. It happens.

Reduce Your Error Reporting Level

Speaking mainly for PHP here because that’s what I work in, errors and warnings generated by PHP are, by default, printed with full information to your browser. The problem is that these errors usually contain full directory paths to the scripts in question. It gives away too much information. To alleviate this, reduce the error reporting level of PHP. You can do this in two ways. One is to adjust your php.ini file. This is the main configuration for PHP on your server. Look for the error_reporting and display_errors directives. However, if you do not have access to this file (many on shared hosting do not), you can also reduce the error reporting level using the error_reporting() function of PHP. Include this in a global file of your scripts that way it will work across the board.

Secure Your Forms

Forms open up a wide hole to your server for hackers if you do not properly code them. Since these forms are usually submitted to some script on your server, sometimes with access to your database, a form which does not provide some protection can offer a hacker direct access to all kinds of things. Keep in mind…just because you have an address field and it says “Address” in front of it does not mean you can trust people to enter their address in that field. Imagine your form is not properly coded and the script it submits to is not either. What’s to stop a hacker from entering an SQL query or scripting code into that address field? With that in mind, here are a few things to do and look for:

Use MaxLength. Input fields in form can use the maxlength attribute in the HTML to limit the length of input on forms. Use this to keep people from entering WAY too much data. This will stop most people. A hacker can bypass it, so you must protect against information overrun at the script level as well.

Hide Emails If using a form-to-mail script, do not include the email address into the form itself. It defeats the point and spam spiders can still find your email address.

Use Form Validation. I won’t get into a lesson on programming here, but any script which a form submits to should validate the input received. Ensure that the fields received are the fields expected. Check that the incoming data is of reasonable and expected length and of the proper format (in the case of emails, phones, zips, etc.).

Avoid SQL Injection. A full lesson on SQL injection can be reserved for another article, however the basics is that form input is allowed to be inserted directly into an SQL query without validation and, thus, giving a hacker the ability to execute SQL queries via your web form. To avoid this, always check the data type of incoming data (numbers, strings, etc.), run adequate form validation per above, and write queries in such a way that a hacker cannot insert anything into the form which would make the query do something other than you intend.

Conclusion

Website security is a rather involved subject and it get a LOT more technical than this. However, I have given you a basic primer on some of the easier things you can do on your website to alleviate the majority of threats to your website.

David Risley is a web developer and founder of PC Media, Inc. (www.pcmedianet.com). Specializes in PHP/MySQL development, consulting and internet business management. He is also the founder of PC Mechanic (www.pcmech.com), a large website delivering do-it-yourself computer information to thousands of users every day.

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Cialis

Men’s health has been of major concern since millions of men all over the world are affected by impotence. In a broader sense, it cannot be considered as a men’s problem because it also involves the partner in a relationship. Impotence is the condition when a man loses his ability to achieve or sustain an erection necessary to satisfy his sexual needs and also the needs of his partner. In a deeper analysis, an occasional failure in achieving erection is not considered as impotence or erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction refers to a man’s inability to achieve an erection consistently for a prolonged period of time. There may be physiological and psychological reasons behind it but physical causes like the hardening of arteries poses to be the predominant factor. Though hardening of arteries, which causes restriction in the flow of blood to the penis is mainly an age-related factor, but studies have shown that erectile dysfunction is not age-related. But impotence can be treated at any age.

Cialis is an oral prescription medication for the treatment of Erectile Dysfunction, generally known as impotence, in men. Clinically, Cialis has proved to be a very effective and victorious treatment for ED even in men with acute health problems like diabetes, prostate surgery, hypertension etc. Men with ED have testified to attaining reliable improvement in erection quality and overall sexual performance after taking Cialis.

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Buying A Treadmill – 3 Essential Tips

If you’re buying a treadmill, chances are you’ve done lots of research already. You probably know exactly what makes up a high quality treadmill and have an idea of which features you want in your unit.

But even with this knowledge many people still fall prey to slick treadmill deals that end up costing them in the long run.

In order to keep that from happening to you, here are 3 essential buying tips to make sure you choose the very best treadmill for you.

#1) Not All Treadmill Brands Are Created Equal

I recently had a gentleman e-mail me asking for advice on which treadmill he should buy. He had narrowed it down to 3 choices:

Choice #1: Brand A: 2.5 HP motor $999

Choice #2: Brand A: 1.75 HP motor $899

Choice #3: Brand B: 2.0 HP motor $1099

He asked me which treadmill I would buy. He was clearly leaning towards Choice #1.

This was the natural choice for most people and it makes sense: get the most for the least. Or get the most motor power for the least amount of money.

However, my answer surprised him. I told him if it were my choice, I would go with Choice #3: Brand B for $1099. Here’s why:

Although the motor power is lower than Choice #1 and the price is higher, Brand B makes an overall better treadmill. Why?

Brand B has a reputation for making high quality treadmills and backing them up with extensive warranties, including 10 years on the motor. It can afford to give such lengthy warranties because it knows that it makes a quality product that probably WON’T break down – even in 10 years.

Brand A on the other hand offers a 90-day motor warranty. What does that tell you about the quality of parts?

Although motor power is a good feature to consider when buying a treadmill – you have to be careful. Look at it in the context of the whole treadmill – including the brand.

Not all treadmill brands are created equal. Some treadmill brands use extremely high quality materials. Others well, don’t.

Make sure to look beyond just the bare numbers when choosing a treadmill. Look at the whole picture to find the best treadmill for you.

#2) Don’t Always Believe What The Salesperson Tells You

Get it in writing. This isn’t to put down any salesperson – but they are human. They do make mistakes, and sometimes this can end up costing you.

I had another lady e-mail me asking for advice on choosing a treadmill. She’d narrowed it down to several and was leaning towards one in particular (let’s call it Treadmill X).

She had been told by a salesperson in the store that this Treadmill X (for $899) came with a lifetime warranty on the motor.

This lady was smart. She was looking at the whole treadmill picture. The price was excellent. The motor power was average (1.75 HP). And who can pass up a lifetime motor warranty?

But wait a minute.

I was fairly familiar with this treadmill brand and knew something was off.

This particular treadmill brand never gives lifetime motor warranties – ever. Not even on their commercial treadmills. So why would they offer a lifetime motor warranty on one of their economy treadmills?

I voiced my concerns to her and wasn’t surprised to hear back a couple of days later that the salesperson had actually been mistaken about the lifetime warranty.

If she had bought this treadmill simply based on what the salesperson said, she might have gotten a nasty surprise – especially since this particular treadmill brand is known for being extremely costly to repair.

Don’t always trust what the salesperson says. Make sure to get it in writing before you buy!

#3 Forget the Price Tag – Look at the REAL Price Of The Treadmill

Price is probably one of the most important factors when buying a treadmill. But sometimes the price of the treadmill can be misleading.

For example, let’s say you’re looking at Brand A in a store with a price of $799. Pretty good price right?

A much better deal than Brand B – sold online – at $999.

But look closer at Brand A. Brand A only comes with a 90 day parts and labor warranty so you need to buy added coverage. You pay $50 for a 2 year extended motor warranty.

So Brand A’s total cost is now $849 (with a 2 year motor warranty)

Brand B is still $999 (with a 10 year motor warranty already included)

Overall, you figure that Brand A is still the better deal since it’s cheaper.

But look closer. You need to pay shipping costs for Brand A. Shipping costs from most stores usually run you about $150.

Brand B, since it is sold online offers free shipping (most online treadmill sellers do).

So Brand A’s total cost is now $998 (with a 2 year motor warranty)

Brand B is still $999 (with a 10 year motor warranty)

With Brand A, $799 has gone to buy the treadmill, $50 has gone to buy the warranty and $150 has gone into shipping.

With Brand B, $999 has gone to buy the treadmill (warranty included).

So which treadmill do you think actually gives you the most value for your money?

And don’t forget that many online treadmill stores don’t charge sales tax. The store that sells Brand A does. That technically makes Brand A MORE expensive than Brand B.

So when comparing treadmills, make sure to consider the TOTAL COST of each treadmill before you buy.

By keeping these 3 tips in mind when purchasing a treadmill:

- Not all treadmill brands are created equal

- Don’t believe what the salesperson tells you – get it in writing

and

- Look at the REAL price of the treadmill

you’ll be well on your way to choosing the best treadmill investment for you. Good luck and have fun!

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The most Important Things to Know When Choosing a Treadmill

If you ever had the desire to buy a treadmill, you were probably hit by all sorts of questions:

“What treadmill should I buy?” “Where will I put it?” “When will I have the time to use it?”, “What are the most important things to take into consideration when choosing a treadmill?” , “Which treadmills will help me look fit?” and so forth.

This article will try to answer these questions and give you

an insight of the most important factors that are to be taken into consideration when choosing a treadmill for Walking or jogging.

First thing you should do before choosing a treadmill is figure out how much free space you have inside your home, because treadmills come in different sizes and designs. Once you know approximately how much space you can free up, you can go look for a treadmill of that exact size. Don’t put yourself in the unnecessary and awkward position where you come home with your newly purchased treadmill and are forced to put it in the closet because of the lack of room.

When choosing a treadmill, apart from size and design, another important factor you should take into consideration will be its quality. A quality treadmill can last for years, while poor quality ones can break apart in a matter of weeks or months. What gives quality and longevity to a treadmill is its motor. The ones with a larger, heavier motor will have a smaller chance of breaking down, because of their solid configuration, but of course there will still be a small risk that it could brake down.

Still they are a great choice to make if you have the money and room for them. Also look for quality and time-tested brands and don’t let yourself attracted by the really small prices low-quality treadmills offer. You could pay half the price of a good, quality treadmill but you could end up with it breaking down in a matter of weeks. Because when you decided to buy a treadmill you probably thought about your health first, it’s very important that the treadmill provides a healthy and effective way to work out.

One of the most important factors in this matter is the thickness of the walking deck and the size of the walking track, both having a bad effect on your feet and ankles if they don’t respect a set of healthy measures. Therefore if you plan to do both walking and jogging on your treadmill, its walking deck’s thickness needs to be at least 3 inches in order to provide a healthy solution. The walking track should be around 48 inches in length and 17-18 inches in width to provide the necessary space for you to work out in a comfortable position.

The next step you need to figure out when choosing a treadmill is what you want it to show you on its electronic board. The electronic board differs from treadmill to treadmill, although some of the basic parameters almost all of them offer are speed, distance, calorie burnout and maybe inclination degree. Some of the newer treadmill models have an interesting extra feature that measures your heart rate and shows it on their monitor. A really important factor you should take into consideration when choosing a treadmill if you have heart problems.

The benefits of choosing a treadmill for home workouts instead of going to a gym are immense. First off, it will save the precious time it takes you to go and come back from the local gym, not to mention you save the money it would take you to pay for the gym training session or monthly fee. The second main advantage is that by having a treadmill in your home, all members of your family will have the chance to work out (which of course can turn into a disadvantage when everyone wants to work out at the same time, but that’s highly improbable if you make a precise time-schedule).

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At this moment you can suss out interest rates quickly on the internet and foresee if there are other possible traps you should be aware of. It doesn’t matter if you live in Methuen Massachusetts or in Deltona Florida a honest online analysis will relieve you often a lot of disoblige. Lots of of the moneylenders wil show you a rate of interest that looks respectable but doesn’t feel well or so after some time. A moneylender in Newark New Jersey or so can have a total different actual loan rate for a 17500 dollar bank loan then a bank in Battle Creek Michigan and that makes a vast clear gap in your yearly pay backs. to see if the merchant bank who wants to give you a bank loan is just. You should be brilliant today to check out if you have a nice special offer or if you don’t with the bank that offers you a money loan.

Translated in Dutch: Woon je in Maasgouw of Skarsterln en heeft u BKR verleden. Lenen met zonder BKR is nergens zo eenvoudig. Koop een andere auto met hypotheek met negatieve bkr registratie, 105946 euro is geen probleem om te lenen. Van Weert tot Ermelo, financieren met een BKR notering kan hier altijd.

now you need to check up on and learn if you can have a loan at a just percent rate. 11.2 percent interest rate may appear so fair but will that be unalterable after you’re going to retort your money loan.

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The amazing part about studying to sail, specially in the UK, is that the coastline is so close to you. We are never at one point too distant from a sailing & yachting journey! Leaving England behind us and disappearing into the sea on a stunning yacht is less of pipe dream than you may think.

People young and old are learning to sail. There is no specific age limit and boys as young as 8 can support a boat team. Generally yachting activities only calls for a small quantity of physical muscle, thus it can easily develop into pastime respected by each person.

Training to sail does not need to be dear. Don’t hurry out and get the latest attire and gear. For your first number of occasions on the water you would be recommended to loan or hire anything you may perhaps require. Invest in the sport once you have started to sail recurrently.

Those with disabilities, such as vision impairment, can sail without constraint. Wheelchair individuals can still contribute in the sport but should be more demanding in their selection of sailing ship. Ondeck Sea School has details on a range of RYA Sailing Courses.

Training to sail is an astonishing experience and a hobby which will give you lots of hours of joy. It is not a hard sport to overcome although the possible obstacles you will run into means safety is vital. We’ve created this guide to support you when studying to sail.

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