The Truth is Out There: How to Know What You Can Believe Online

There are two kinds of information online-the information you search for and the information somebody sends you. Either one may be true or false, useful or harmful-and telling the difference can be tricky.

How to Recognize Trustworthy Information Online

Knowing what you can believe online is essential for a good Internet experience. The following steps can help you distinguish between trustworthy and bogus information online.

• Don't believe everything you read — If you go online regularly, chances are some of your friends have forwarded e-mail with a health or technology scare that sounds true: chemicals in deodorant that cause cancer, for example, or viruses that can be transmitted from a stranger's cell phone to your computer. Before accepting information at face value, cross-check it with a couple of other reliable sources. This method isn't completely foolproof — even reputable news organizations are sometimes fooled into printing false information — but it can help you avoid many informational missteps.
• Break the chain — If you receive an e-mail chain letter promising you a free TV, money from Bill Gates, or good health and good fortune if you send copies to 10 friends, reach for the delete key. E-mail can't influence the course of your life, but passing along chain letters certainly clutters the lives of your friends (and their friends) and adds to the proliferation of spam.
• Don't take the bait — Phishing scams start with spam e-mail that looks legitimate but actually comes from criminals hoping to trick you into revealing personal information they can use to steal your identity and your good credit. To practice your skills at telling true e-mail from phishing mail, check out PayPal's Fight Phishing Challenge at www.paypal.com/fightphishing. And to learn more about phishing scams and how to avoid online fraud and identity theft, see Stay Safe from Scams & Fraud.
• Recognize and reject hoaxes — A hoax may sound like something clever and amusing, but hoaxes are no joke. Many online hoaxes are outright scams. The so-called Nigerian scams are good examples of advance-fee e-mail hoaxes that begin by asking for your help — including a donation, investment, or money to cover various costs — and could end with the theft of your money and identity. These scams range from heart-rending appeals to save homeless pets to urgent requests for assistance moving millions of dollars into your bank account for safekeeping. The con artists who run these scams change the details of their appeals frequently, but the unexpected request of asking a stranger for help will always help you identify them. To learn more about advance-fee scams, see Stay Safe from Scams & Fraud.
• Don't expect something for nothing — Other common hoaxes offer free merchandise — from HDTVs to iPods — or propose business opportunities that are actually illegal pyramid schemes. These scams may come in e-mail or in online ads. By responding to the e-mail or clicking the links, you risk losing money or downloading viruses and spyware. To help keep yourself safe online, use the same caution you use to avoid such scams in real life.
• Exercise skepticism and common sense — If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is — in both real life and online. Ask yourself whether the offers you see online really make sense. If they don't, then ignore or delete them and move on — just as you do with all those junk mail offers you receive every day.
• Be careful about making new friends online — The Internet enables you to get to know people from all over the world. But remember that the people you meet online can tell you anything they want. You may never know if someone is lying about their age, background, or intentions, so be wary if an online friend starts to ask for favors or money. If you plan to meet personally with someone you met on the Internet, meet in a public place and let your friends know what you are doing.