Safety & Security: Frequently Asked Questions

Shop Safely
	Is it safe to shop online? How can I tell if an online business is legitimate? How can I tell if it's safe to use my credit card at an online shop? What steps can I take to protect my credit card when shopping online? What if I have unauthorised charges on my credit card?

Personal Information Protection
	What is identity theft? How do I protect my identity? How do I check my credit history? What should I do if my identity has been stolen? How do I protect myself against scams? How can I tell if an offer is legitimate or a scam?

Prortect Privacy Online
	How can I protect my family's privacy when online? How do I set up my privacy preferences? How do I set up my chat preferences? How do I use AOL's Email Controls? What should I do if I find myself in an online confrontation? What is Notify AOL and how do I use it?

Keep Passwords Safe
	How do I protect my password? Can I share my password with my family and friends? How do I create a secure password? How often should I change my password? Can I use the same password for all my Screen Names? Should I store my passwords on my computer? Will anti-virus protection help protect my password? What if I lose my password, or give it out by mistake?

Protect Your Broadband Connection
	What is broadband? How is a broadband connection different to a dial-up modem connection? How do I upgrade to broadband? What tools do I need to protect my broadband connection? What is a firewall? How do I use a firewall? Do I need anti-virus protection with my broadband connection?

Notify AOL
	Report an Instant Message violation Report a chat violation Report a Message Board violation Report an email violation Report a Screen Name violation Report a Profile violation Report a Web page violation Page a Guide AOL is here to help you!

General Questions
	How do I keep my password safe? What happens to members who violate COS? How long do account warnings last? How many warnings can I get on my account? If I report a COS violation, will the person find out? How do I know how many warnings I have? Will I be charged for my warning? What is Chat Room Disruption? What if someone asks for my credit card number? Are violations specific to the Screen Names? How do I report an offensive USENET posting? Questions about your personal information Where can I find the COS agreement? How do I report a violation of COS? How do I report an inappropriate profile? How do I report an inappropriate screen name? How to report an offensive message board posting? How do I report an Instant Message violation? How do I report a Chat Room violation? How do I report a Private Chat Room violation? How do I report offensive email I have received? How do I report an offensive website? How do I challenge a warning?

Conditions of Service
	Member Agreement Community Guidelines Privacy Policy AOL Ofcom Code of Practice

Communication Safety
	How can I avoid 'spam' and other junk email? How do I stop unwanted images & attached files being sent to me by email? What are AOL Email Controls? What is Official AOL Mail? How can I tell a legitimate email from a scam? What should I do if I get a scam email? What is chat? What are Instant Messages (IMs)? What's the difference between IMs and chat? What is a Buddy List? What are the benefits of chat and IMs? What are the basic rules of chat? How can I protect my privacy in a chat room? How do I report offensive behaviour in a chat room? How do I turn IMs on or off? How do I set up my privacy preferences? What should I consider before meeting my online friends in person? What can I do to minimise the risk of meeting someone offline? What can I do to minimise the risk of my child meeting someone offline?

Spyware
	What is spyware? How does spyware get on to my PC? How can I protect my PC against spyware? What damage could spyware do to my PC?