Technology is continuing to emerge at a very fast pace. Keeping this in mind, lets take a look at how we can use the internet in the safest ways possible.

One of the newest tricks scammers are using may cause you to innocently divulge your personal information or download malicious viruses and malware onto your computer. Their tactic is called TYPOSQUATTING.

Typosquatting is when a scammer sets up a web address that closely resembles a legitimate address but it contains in its coding a very hard to detect typing error. This is created by the scammer ON PURPOSE, in the hopes that you'll go to your browser and manually type in the web address you're looking for with a spelling error. If you make one simple spelling error in your web browser, the scammer already has the site you want duplicated into his own malicious website.

Examples include the following: Instead of creating a legitimate .com, .gov, and .org website, they'll create a website with an omission of a letter, and it will appear as .cm or .gv, or .og. There may also be extra letters at the end of .com, such as .com-xyz.

Here's what we can do NOW to avoid getting on a malicious website:

1. Always double check the spelling in your browser.

2. If you're positive about a website, bookmark it in your favorites.

3. Use a good search engine like Google, Bing, or Firefox which have codes that will better direct your search.

4. Make sure you see the letters https: and the yellow lock box if you're entering personal information.