Internet Safety

I notice increasingly on this and every other site that the adverts, while sometimes randomly aimed at what one might imagine the over50s to be interested in, are also often extremely specific, referring back to things I have bought/looked at etc. Cookies everywhere I guess. My passwords are pretty tight I hope - upper/lower case, symbols, numbers, and I use AVG free antivirus coupled with the excellent and also free Spybot. But my goodness, use a computer and Big Brother is watching your every move! I suppose you could argue that on the plus side this means you see what you like rather than stuff you have no interest in, but it still feels creepy. A price I will continue to pay though as the damned things are addictive. Does anyone know of anyone who has suffered from or have they experienced identity theft from the internet? And what protection do you use?

Re: Internet Safety

Not identity theft but was scammed by a toothpaste ad on this site. Made me very careful now what I click on as the response was less than helpful from my bank. Means although the forum needs ads to exist they won't be clicked on by me or any other member who gets scammed so not sure why they use them.

Re: Internet Safety

I could tell you how to stop the adds but Azz removes any such posts, i wont click on any adds, especially some of the ones ive seen. So many spying sites out there you have to be so careful when logging in as some love to dump little programmes to monitor your surfing. Personally i think it should be illegal to install anything without the permission of the end user, there is plenty of software out there to aid in keeping your puter clean but its always an ongoing battle, they only need to get lucky once.

Re: Internet Safety

If on the internet you see a free offer of something, never proceed if they ask you for your card details be it for postage or any other reason.
I never see any adverts, finally got cheesed by the adverts for eastern European women on this site , google is your friend

Re: Internet Safety

Best to be very wary. Please BEWARE!


Over the last month I became a victim of a clever 'Eastern European' scam while out shopping. Simply dropping into Sainsbury’s for a bit of shopping has turned out to be quite traumatic.

Don't be naive enough to think it couldn't happen to you or your friends.

Here's how the scam works:

Two seriously good-looking voluptuous 20-21 year-old girls come over to your car as you are packing your shopping into the boot. They both start cleaning your windscreen, their breasts almost falling out of their skimpy T-shirts. When you thank them and offer them a tip, they'll say 'No' and instead ask you for a lift to another supermarket store, in my case, Tesco’s.

You agree and they both get in the back seat. On the way, they start undressing, until both are completely naked. Then, when you pull over to remonstrate, one of them climbs over into the front seat and starts crawling all over your lap, kissing you, touching you intimately, and thrusting herself against you, while the other one steals your wallet!

I had my wallet stolen last month on the 4th, 9th,10th, twice on the 15th, 17th, 20th, 24th and 29th. Also this month on the 1st, 4th, 6th, 10th and 13th through to today. It happened twice yesterday.

P.S. Aldi have wallets on sale for £1.99 each but Lidl are £1.75 and look better.

So please warn all the older men you know to be on the look out for this scam. The best times are just before lunch and about 4:30 in the afternoon.

Re: Internet Safety

I've noticed I'm getting recent images of items I've purchased from Amazon and EBay, I for one would like to know why I'm getting them and how I'm targeted, it's nothing to do with this site, they are present when surfing the net, particularly using Firefox, wish I could stop them appearing!

Ok, just found this I'll try to remove the adverts from the information given

Re: Internet Safety

Honey the advertisements help to pay for the server. The site has no control over them and they can be ignored.
If everyone uses an ad blocker the side will lose out.

Re: Internet Safety

Hi Meg, I know they're nothing to do with this site but they are a real pain when I open my browser and adverts are flashing, they're distracting and I really don't want to see them all the time

Re: Internet Safety

I live in hope of being scammed by naked ladies but not yet
You'll have to give me your address and bank details.

Re: Internet Safety

I think the danger of the Internet is over stated, if an offer is too good to be true it invariably is. It is like computer viruses you don't catch them you let someone give them to you. Settings in your browser can dramatically reduce the effect of cookies and advertising can be avoided altogether by add ins such as AdBlock.

As you pointed out if you have an up to date virus scanner, a firewall, you don't click on links in unsolicited emails AND you read the screens when you install a program you are pretty safe.

The worst that has happened to me in 25 years of on line activity is getting rid of pesky virus-like search toolbars such as ASK (and that definitely falls under the category letting someone else give it to you).

The things that really annoy me are reputable(?) companies like Java (Oracle) and Adobe trying to palm off add ons like the Ask Toolbar/Search Engine and Mcaffee's anti virus program when you install updates to what are essential background programs for your computer.