People are so paranoid about identity theft and privacy violations online, that it detracts from the online experience. Yes, there are very bad people out there who want to use your information for nefarious purposes; but not enjoying the Internet to its fullest means the bad guys win. Use some common sense online and all will be well.

First, you must be aware of what you are posting online. No company should ever ask you for a social security number or email password. Emails from your bank or credit card companies are usually scams. If a company you deal with needs information, you should manually type in their URL and check your messages directly through the in-box provided on their Web site. This guarantees the security of your information. If they still need critical personal information, call them.

The social networks are another area of concern, but they can be a place to share and communicate without worry. Don’t post pictures of your family vacation while you are out of town. This announces to everyone that you’re not home. There’s no need to divulge your location. Post those pictures and send those status updates after you’ve returned and be safe.