The use of the Internet and email have become ingrained into modern life. These new communications tools provide convenient ways to do everything from conducting large-scale business to just staying in touch. However, this same convenience also proves tempting for online criminals.

I learned my own lesson on Internet safety the hard way when I opened an emailed file that infected my computer with a virus. Cleaning up afterwards was expensive. It can happen to anyone, which is why we all need to be cautious.

To protect yourself takes both common sense and a health dose of skepticism. Following a few basic online safety tips can go a long way toward making sure your family's Internet experiences remain positive ones.

First, make sure that any computer you use has software installed to offer full protection against all of the common online threats. To be fully protected, you need anti-virus software, a firewall to screen out intrusion attempts, and a program to block "spyware" from being installed on a computer. Households with children and teens should also consider software that blocks access to certain web pages. It is possible to buy all of these items in one security software suite or to use stand-alone products to do specific functions.

Once the protection is installed, it is critical that it be kept current. New threats emerge constantly and the detection tools used in these programs must be updated to catch the latest versions. Make sure you know how to update your security software and do it regularly.

It is also important that you download and install any security patches offered for your web browsers, office programs, and your computer's operating system. If you don't know how to update your software, get someone to teach you. It typically involves just clicking one command button with your mouse and letting the computer do everything else. You may be able to set your computer to do automatic updates of new security features.

Next, never respond to unsolicited email offers. Known as "spam", these emails are almost certain to be scams designed to separate you from your money in some way. The typical goal is to get your credit card information to run up fraudulent charges.

Similarly, never supply financial or personal data to a web page reached via a link in an unsolicited email. Many of these web sites are fraudulent copies of the real thing, typically hosted in foreign countries. Known as "phishing," the criminals seeking your bank or credit card account information can make copies of legitimate web pages that only experts can tell apart. Fake web pages also exist for online auction services, such as eBay, and for online payment services like PayPal.

Call your bank or credit card company if you get a suspicious email purporting to be from them that requests account information.

Another common scam involves mass emailing fake stock tips. Known as a "pump and dump", the goal of the criminal is to temporarily pump up the price of a stock so they can dump their own holdings at a profit. Don't fall for it.

Also, if you offer an item for sale online and someone from a foreign country or distant location wants to pay with a cashier's check – don't do it. The odds that the check is a forgery are high.

It is also very important that you check your bank and credit card statements carefully each month. Online criminals who obtain access to accounts may try to avoid notice by making a series of small withdrawals, as opposed to one large one that flags attention. If you see changes you can't identify, contact your bank or credit card company immediately.

Finally, have a frank discussion with your younger family members about the Internet. They need to be wary of chat-rooms and instant messages where their new online friend seems too persistent about obtaining personal information. Sexual predators who target young people also know how to use the Internet and parents must be vigilant.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has further advice on how to  avoid online criminals. It can be reached at: http://www.oag.state.tx.us/index.shtml.

Again, the Internet has opened up opportunities for communication that never existed before. Following a few simple precautions can go a long way toward making this new online world a safe one for you and your family.

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