I was just reading an article and learned that unless you setup internet exploper to delete your browsing history, in can be traced and held by other people such as the govt.If you go to settings, control panel and internet options, you can tick the box which deletes browsing history on exit. I also found that its automaticaly deleted  on google chrome. Reeks of big brother to me .While I have nothing to hide, I don,t want 3rd partys learning where I brows on the net. It pay to keep your eyes open.  Bill

 Westpac tells me these e-mails are hoaxes from crims hoping you will provide banking details.  We have never ever had a westpac account, so they are just sending out the e-mails from a purchased list.

They are nasty people.

 

From: "Westpac - Australia's First Bank" <enrollment.westpac@hp.com>
Date: 29 August 2013 6:52:56 AM AEST
To: mail2retreat@gmail.com
Subject: Receipt Confirmation : 029905363141
Reply-To: do.not.reply@westpac.com.au

Order Reference: 029905363141

Dear Westpac Customer,

Thank you for choosing online 3D payments. Your order is currently being processed.


Order Details

1. Windows Phone 8S Black by HTC   Quantity = 1
Product code P04444901 @ 159.95 AUD


Email Address: mail2retreat@gmail.com

Deliver to: Denise Carney
Tel: 0792061093
Customer Address:
4/22 Newcastle St
Preston
Victoria
3072

If you wish to cancel the online payment purchase please click here.

Thank you once again for choosing 3D online payments, we will shortly be emailing you with a further update on your order.


Westpac Bank Group.
Westpac Banking Corporation ABN 33 007 457 141.

 

 

From: "Western Union" <wuss@msn.com>
Date: 30 August 2013 7:07:51 AM AEST
To: Recipients <wuss@msn.com>
Subject: Western Union - New Message !

You have 1 new message .

Please Login to your account and follow the instructions

 

https://www.westernunion.com.au/WUCOMWEB/signInAction

 

If you received this message in your SPAM/BULK folder, that is because of the restrictions implemented by your Internet Service Provider

From: "Western Union" <eaaed@bing.com>
Date: 3 September 2013 7:25:10 AM AEST
To: Recipients <eaaed@bing.com>
Subject: Western Union - New Message

Dear Western Union member,

You have 1 unread Message!

 

Click here to resolve the problem

 

 

Thank You.
* Please do not reply to this email, as your reply will not be received. This is an
automatic notification of new security messages.

Copyright 2013 Western Union ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Retreat, it's not really a good idea to cut and paste like that because the links from your scam email are live on your post. Don't click on the links anyone reading the post. The phony bank emails requiring you to click on a link to verify your account details or to rectify the problem have been doing the rounds of late. Just remember never to click on a link from an email even if it does seem to be genuine. Just log onto your banking account the way you normally do by typing the address or by using your shortcut to the main website.

buffy61 wrote:

---

Dont use Internet Explorer!!! Firefox is much better...and I dont get anywhere as much spam using Firefox!!

And I say Good Luck to whoever wants to watch my boring life!! :)

---

 I agree I get no pop ups with Firefox much more reliable for me...

a bit off topic bill but this program is great, I have been using it for about 8 years now, it allows you to see what emails you have on your server waiting for you to access, you just delete the ones you do not want or know before downloading to your computer, the 654 version is free but the new ver 7 is not, I am still using the 654 ver, you can use the 7 ver but the free one only allows you to have one email address, so I stick with the 654 ver.

This enables you to stop all spam getting into your computer.

the address will start the download when you click on it

http://www.firetrust.com/products/mailwasher-pro/6/download

-- Edited by _wombat_ on Thursday 19th of September 2013 10:57:55 AM

The minute you connect to the internet your computer is sending and receiving data some of which identifies you or your computer and it doesn't matter which browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome etc) you use, the data is still sent and received. If you perform a search, the search engine (Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc) sends, receives and retains data about your searching habits and preferences. If you join a forum such as this one, the host servers do the same - it is impossible to be online privately without a stack of complicated hardware and software to disguise who you are. Have a look at the terms of service that are in place when you sign up for internet services, if you can wade through the pages of waffle you maybe surprised at how much information about you you are authorizing others to collect and store. And then of courses there is Prism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRISM_%28surveillance_program%29) and other such data mining and electronic surveillance programs. The only way to even start ensuring your privacy is to not go online for anything, stop using credit and debit cards, don't use mobile phones -  totally isolating yourself from the rest of society might sort of work but no guarantees there. It all sounds too hard for this little black duck - there are other things to worry about.

Used to have all those problems regularly but since going totally to Apple have not had an issue in nearly two years. Took just a little getting used to but well worth it in my opinion.

buffy61 wrote:

---

Dont use Internet Explorer!!! Firefox is much better...and I dont get anywhere as much spam using Firefox!!

And I say Good Luck to whoever wants to watch my boring life!! :)

---

 Having worked for the govt I have a fair idea just how much info can be obtained about you, and the only way to avoid it is to be totally "off the grid". But really, that means no pension, no bank account, no reg vehicles, no real estate. Does it really matter that much? I tend to agree with you Buffy except that I don't find my life boring even tho I daresay any "spectator" would.

And as for the phishing emails, most that I've seen seem to depend on the recipient imagining that they might get something for nothing! Not likely!

There are many golden rules for online safety/privacy, but here are three of them:

1. Never, ever, click on links contained in emails - even if you know the sender (their computer could be compromised without their knowledge - check with them to make sure they actually sent the email if you really want to open the link).

2. Never download a program/image/movie/document etc. if you didn't specifically search for it (such as so-called registry cleaners, anti-virus scanners, etc. that can pop up while you're browsing).

3. Keep all software that accesses the internet up to date (operating system, browser, email program, Adobe Reader/Acrobat, Adobe Flash player, etc).

One annoyance that some companies perpetrate (I'm looking at you, Adobe) is to install additional programs when you download updates or patches - look at each screen and un-tick any programs they suggest you include, such as McAfee virus scanner, different search engines, additional 'must-have' tool bars, etc).

Duh I was happy - I entered a mobile number in that link and nothing came up for it. Especially happy as it was one of ours!

We don't have too much trouble and we use Explorer.

Simply if you don't like big brother looking at you stay off the web, stay away from banks and forget about telephone/mobile and anything else.

There is no such thing as a safe web browser either. Every time you lonk to your ISP you become visible to the government be it Aust, USA or whom ever is doing the tracking.

Deleting history DOES NOT make you safe that is C R A P.