Everyone Hates Pop-ups and Spyware: Prevent Annoying Scams

I know everyone, and I mean EVERYONE hates getting pop-ups on their computer when they are trying to browse the Web or just e-mail friends and family. It is one of the most annoying things in the world to be on a Web site and read that article about today's news, and all of the sudden, you get this pop-up on the screen, and it's telling you to scan your system NOW because it has a virus, and this software it is promoting can get rid of it.

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news if you have not already encountered situations such as this. Those are bogus programs that scare you into purchasing software that will most likely add spy-ware, ad-ware and viruses to your computer.

I know I have been a victim of pop-ups such as those, mostly it was because I clicked on something that looked interesting or something that had me curious but turned out to be completely bogus. Recently I attempted to download a new screen saver for my computer, you know, something really cool! It was 3D, and had some interesting things on it. Unfortunately I made the mistake of installing it and guess what!!! Never again will I do that! pop-ups all over the place and every kind you can think of, pornographic and even some legit looking ones that I knew were bogus. I eventually had to reinstall windows from scratch as these pop-ups would never go away, even after anti-spy-ware, anti-ad-ware and my anti-virus software could not do anything about it.

It's amazing how well some of those pop-ups look like real advertisements or how well created they are. I generally follow a set of rules that I've come to stand by to keep me from having crazy pop-ups and unwanted advertisements on my computer. It has helped, except for my momentary slip up on a cool looking screen saver! So here are a few of the things I suggest that can be done to prevent you from getting pop-ups on your computer.

First of all, if the pop-up appears to good to be true, then it most likely is. Those millions of dollars given away or that sweet ride that is tricked out can trick you into clicking on that link only to find out you are required to provide a lot of personal information or you are greeted with an explosion of "interesting" pop-ups on the screen. Resist the temptation to click on the pop-up itself and just close it out. I almost never look at any pop-ups other than to see where the 'X' is so I can close it out.

If you do want to check out the information in the pop-up then try searching the companies name in a search engine, such as Google, Yahoo, or MSN. That way you can find out if it is actually a legitimate company that is offering a genuine prize.

Even though the site may be something you frequent or is something you know to be legit, always double check the contents to make sure it looks safe. Check for misspelled words and grammatical errors as well. As that can be a big clue for when NOT to click on it.

If they ask for money up front or when you click on the pop-up and asks for credit card information or personal information, don't enter it as those are usually ploys to sites that steal your identity or banking information. Try going to the companies website to see if they have a link on there to validate the product or event you are entering your person information for. It will most definitely save you a lot of hassle and headache in the long run.

Newer Internet browsers provide tools to help prevent spy-ware and such from getting on the system but they are not full proof. They have built in pop-up blockers and anti-phishing tools that help prevent you from making the mistake of clicking on the wrong thing. I personally enjoy using the browsers called Opera and Firefox and only sticking to Internet Explorer when I have to go to a site that requires it. Though, all three are very useful Opera tends to be my favorite as it has a lot of features that are nice.

If you do find yourself having pop-ups that seem to never go away there are some programs I would suggest that can be helpful in removing them. Ad-Aware, Spy-bot search and destroy, Windows Defender are all useful. Keeping your operating system up to date with the latest fixes and patches can also prevent some types of spy-ware from getting on your system as well.

I definitely recommend having some type of anti-virus software that has a firewall built into it be installed on the system as that can save you from so many headaches from spy-ware issues.

To cover the main points:

If it does not look professional or legit, don't click on it

Do research on it

Don't enter personal information or credit card information from inside a pop-up

Do have some type of antivirus software with a firewall installed

Do update your operating system regularly as well as antivirus software

Do use a pop-up blocker

Do check for spelling mistakes as well as grammar errors