At some point, you will probably have to use the internet to research embroidery software.  For veteran computer users, safe browsing is an established habit, but many embroiderers are not comfortable with computers and use them only to enjoy their hobby.  For these users, here are some basic internet safety tips.

 Make sure that you have an up-to-date anti-virus program installed and running.  Legitimate sites are usually virus and malware-free, but with the huge number of users accessing sites daily, it’s always possible that something will slip through and not immediately be detected by the site owner.  Having an anti-virus program running is one way to protect your computer if the unexpected happens.

Heed any warnings you get when you attempt to visit a new site. If your browser gives you a warning that the site is unsafe, it’s better to be cautious and avoid it than to visit the site and possibly end up with an infected computer.

Here are some things to check:

Is the site loaded with misleading buttons pushing you to download something?

Thanks to the way sites pay for themselves, this even happens with useful, legitimate sites. Look very carefully for the actual download button on legitimate sites. It may be smaller than other buttons on the site, but will usually give you something, the file name for example, to indicate that it’s the link you need.

Look at the language on the site.

Very often when the language is odd or “off” somehow, you’ve run into a dangerous site, and you should be very careful downloading or ordering anything from it. The issue is not occasional poor grammar or spelling, it’s more a case of words being put together in strange ways, or having almost no relationship to the subect of the site.

Is the deal too good to be true?

The old adage  “if it’s too good to be true, it probably is” applies here. Sites that promise you free cracks for expensive software or a huge number of designs for a very low price, are usually one of two things 1). a malicious site that will entice you into downloading dangerous software thinking you’re getting something you want, or 2). a site that has pirated designs (especially for licensed characters) or software – this takes income away from people it rightfully belongs to, and puts you at risk for accusations of theft or copyright violation – even if you “just” downloaded the software or designs. Also be aware that these kinds of deals can occur on legitimate auction sites, not because the sites encourage them, but because they allow almost anyone to list almost anything, and don’t question it unless a complaint has been made.

Watch out for re-directs.

Normally when you enter the web address of a site into the internet address bar, when you get to the site, the address will remain the same as what you typed in, or something pretty close to it.  Re-directs can be legitimate, since they are designed to move traffic to the new site when the owner has changed its name. They should be closely related to what you originally typed in, however. If the address changes significantly, for example, if you typed in “www.prettyembroidery.com” and once you get there, the address bar reads “www.paymybills.com” you have been re-directed and should leave the site immediately.

If a download screen pops up asking if you want to download a file when you haven’t clicked on a download link, or if you get a notification from Windows or you anti-virus saying that the site is attempting to download something to your computer, click on Cancel, and leave the site.  Malicious sites or software will often put a large blinking popup on your screen, warning you that your computer is somehow at risk and that it can be fixed if you immediately download and install the software from a download link that pops up.  If that happens, close the popup and leave the site. Most legitimate updates and warnings will not suddenly pop up in the middle of your screen as you enter a site.  Get familiar with how your internet browser, operating system and anti-virus program inform you about updates so that you can tell them apart from dangerous downloads.

Remember too, that these kinds of risks can also show up in your email.  Most commonly, they occur as emails from groups you’ve never joined, ads from companies you’ve never requested information from or links within group emails.  In the case of links within group emails, they rarely include anything more than the link and minimal wording like “Hi friend, take a look at this.”  Thanks to this, when someone in a group forwards a legitimate link, they usually also include more information about it such as what the site is and what you can find there.

While these are some of the most common ways threats occur on the internet, because scammers and con artists are resourceful, they may change their tactics at any time, which means that there can always be threats that are not listed here.  Remember that very few activities are 100% safe, so pay close attention to what is happening on your computer as you browse the internet and read your email. Make sure you have up-to-date anti-virus software running on your computer at all times and educate yourself on the differences between safe and unsafe sites and your chances of safely surfing the internet increase dramatically.