McGruff, the cartoon canine who has been warning American kids about criminals since 1980, is learning a few new tricks. The National Crime Prevention Council is out to raise awareness about spammers, hackers, and identity thieves as part of a campaign to – you guessed it – "take a bite out of cyber crime." What can the agency's proselytizing pooch tell us about electronic evildoers? Pretty much what you'd expect – a mix of the sensible and the inane (some of which seem inspired by sponsors like VeriSign and McAfee). Try to sniff out the real tips from a couple we think the big dog ought to bark about.
A) People can steal your identity just like they can steal your bicycle. Protect your family by never using your parents' credit card without their permission.
B) Your computer can get sick with a virus just like you can. Remind Mom and Dad to update your computer's antivirus software.
C) Never respond to an instant message from a person you don't know. It might be someone who wants to be much more than just your friend.
D) Ask your parents for a firewall this Christmas. As a gift to them, download Firefox to their PC and uninstall Internet Explorer.
E) Fishing is fun, but phishing on the Internet can be dangerous.
F) If you have an RFID chip implanted, make sure that it has 128-bit encryption. Otherwise your unique code can be hijacked.
– Rebecca Smith Hurd
Answers: (A) McGruff, (B) McGruff, (C) Wired, (D) Wired, (E) McGruff, (F) Wired
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