Crime Prevention Tips
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- Seven Simple Computer Security Tips
- Tips for Children
- Tips for parents
- Protect yourself and your PC
- Protect your Website
Seven Simple Computer Security Tips for Small Business and
Home Computer User.
• Use strong passwords. Choose passwords that are difficult or impossible to guess. Give different passwords to all accounts.
• Make regular backups of critical data. Backups must be made at least once each day. Larger organizations should perform a full backup weekly and incremental backups every day. At least once a month the backup media should be verified.
• Use virus protection software. That means three things: having it on your computer in the first place, checking daily for new virus signature updates, and then actually scanning all the files on your computer periodically.
• Use a firewall as a gatekeeper between your computer and the Internet. Firewalls are usually software products. They are essential for those who keep their computers online through the popular DSL and cable modem connections but they are also valuable for those who still dial in.
• Do not keep computers online when not in use. Either shut them off or physically disconnect them from Internet connection.
• Do not open email attachments from strangers, regardless of how enticing the Subject Line or attachment may be. Be suspicious of any unexpected email attachment from someone you do know because it may have been sent without that person's knowledge from an infected machine
• Regularly download security patches from your software vendors.....
Tips for Children
• Do not give out identifying information such as Name, Home Address, School Name or Telephone Number in a chat room.
• Do not send your photograph to any one on the Net without first checking with the parent or guardian.
• Do not respond to messages or bulletin board items that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent or threatening.
• Never arrange a face to face meeting without telling parent or guardian.
• Remember that people online may not be who they seem to be...........
Tips for parents
• Use content filtering softwares on your PC to protect children from pornography, gambling, hate speech, drugs and alcohol.
• There are also softwares to establish time controls for individual users (for example blocking usage after a particular time at night) and log surfing activities allowing parents to see which sites the child has visited. Use these softwares.
Protect Yourself and Your PC
• Use the latest version of a good anti-virus software package which allows updations from the Internet.
• Use the latest version of the operating system, web browsers and e-mail programs.
• Don't open e-mail attachments unless you know the source. Attachments, especially executables (those having .exe extension) can be dangerous. • Confirm the site you are doing business with. Secure yourself against "web- spoofing". Do not go to websites from email links.
• Use hard to guess passwords that contain mixes of numbers and letters. They should not be dictionary words. They should combine upper and lower case characters.
• Use different passwords for different websites.
• Send credit card information only to secure sites
• Use a security program that gives you control over "cookies" that send information back to websites. Letting all cookies in without monitoring them could be risky..
Protect Your Website
• Stay informed and be in touch with security related news.
• Watch traffic to your site. Put host-based intrusion detection devices on your web servers and monitor activity looking for any irregularities.
• Put in firewalls.
• Configure your firewalls correctly.
• Develop your web content off line.
• Make sure that the web servers running your public web site are physically separate and individually protected from your internal corporate network. • Protect your databases. If your web site serves up dynamic content from a database, consider putting that database behind a second interface on your firewall, with tighter access rules than the interface to your web server.
• Back up your web site after every updation, so that you can re-launch it, immediately, in case of a malicious defacement.
Crime against Children
Children are a vulnerable section of the society. They are often exploited for begging and domestic servitude.
There has also been a recent increase in pedophilia, especially in crowded urban areas and tourism spots. Recent research has revealed a high incidence of child molestation at home and school too.
Most of the child victims don’t know how to handle molestation and they may even require psychological counseling.
The city police also invite the public to contact us with their useful suggestions or intention to offer their services in their area of specialization or interest.
For emergency complaints contact the CHILD HELP LINE 1098/ Control Room 100 /Crime Stopper 1090/ SMS 9846091096
To know about pedophiles and how children are at risk of sexual molestation.
How to recognize a Pedophile?
Most sex offenders are quite proficient at convincing their spouse, family members, friends, co-workers, and neighbors that he or she is not a pedophile, child molester, or sex offender.
It is very important to understand that if a person has even one or more of these characteristics, they should always be supervised around children; if allowed to have access to them at all.
Never should he/she be trusted to take a young person anywhere alone.
Some of the well-known characteristics of a pedophile - Overly interested in children.
- Intentionally arranges time alone with children.
- Shows an unusual interest in or makes inappropriate comments about the sexual development of children.
- Initiates inappropriate contact with children.
- Volunteers to provide free care or transportation to children.
- Volunteers much of his/her free time to be with children.
- Gives expensive and often inappropriate gifts to children.
- Offers to take the child camping or other places alone.
- Talks to children on the Internet, on the phone, or sends postal mail.
- Very few pedophiles or child molesters are able to resist their powerful urges to initiate sexual contact with children. As a result, they accept employment where children are easily approached, have hobbies giving them easy access to children or they actively pursue children by befriending a child's parents.
- Many times they can be found attending events for children, coaching children's sports teams, chaperoning camping trips, frequenting video arcades, or offering free baby-sitting services to friends, family, and neighbors with children.
- His or her whole life is centered on children. Often a child molester carefully seduces his/her victims and can go undetected for thirty years or longer.
Sexual abuse warning signs
One or more of the following behaviors may indicate that a child has been the victim of sexual abuse and may still be experiencing abuse. If you are a parent and suspect that your child is being abused, you need to contact appropriate authorities in your area as soon as possible.
- Persistent sexual play with other children, themselves, toys or pets.
- Unexplained pain, swelling, bleeding or irritation of the mouth, genital or anal area; urinary infections; sexually transmitted diseases.
- Displaying sexual knowledge, through language or behavior, that is beyond what is normal for their age.
- Fear or dislike of certain people or places.
- Sexual activity or pregnancy at an early age.
- Drug or alcohol problems.
Four main points need to be taught to children
If you are a child or teen that is being abused, you need to tell a trusted adult as soon as possible. This may include a parent, a family member, a teacher, school counselor or a police officer. If you tell someone and that person does not listen or does not believe you, tell someone else. Keep telling until someone does help you. Remember, it is never your fault.
• Trust your feelings. Say No!
• Get away!
• Tell and keep telling until someone listens and believes you.
• It is never your fault
What are the signs that your Child might be at risk on-Line?
Your child spends large amounts of time on-line, especially at night.
Most children that fall victim to computer-sex offenders spend large amounts of time on-line, particularly in chat rooms. While much of the knowledge and experience gained may be valuable, parents should consider monitoring the amount of time spent on-line.
Children on-line are at the greatest risk during the evening hours. While offenders are on-line around the clock, most work during the day and spend their evenings on-line trying to locate and lure children or seeking pornography.
What should you do if you suspect your Child is communicating with a Sexual Predator on-line?
Consider talking openly with your child about your suspicions. Tell them about the dangers of computer-sex offenders.
Review what is on your child's computer. If you don't know how, ask a friend, coworker, relative, or other knowledgeable person. Pornography or any kind of sexual communication can be a warning sign.
Use the Caller ID service to determine who is calling your child.
Devices can be purchased that show telephone numbers that have been dialed from your home phone. Additionally, the last number called from your home phone can be retrieved provided that the telephone is equipped with a redial feature.
Monitor your child's access to all types of live electronic communications (i.e., chat rooms, instant messages, Internet Relay Chat, etc.), and monitor your child's e-mail. Computer-sex offenders almost always meet potential victims via chat rooms. After meeting a child on-line, they will continue to communicate electronically often via e-mail.
How to report if you suspect your Child is communicating with a Sexual Predator on-line? Should any of the following situations arise in your household, via the Internet or on-line service, you should immediately contact your local police or for emergency complaints contact the Control Room 100 / SMS 98407 00100.
- Your child or anyone in the household has received child pornography.
- Someone who knows that your child is under 18 years of age has sexually solicited your child.
- Your child has received sexually explicit images from someone that knows your child is under the age of 18.
- If one of these scenarios occurs, keep the computer turned off in order to preserve any evidence for future law enforcement use.
- Unless directed to do so by the law enforcement agency, you should not attempt to copy any of the images and/or text found on the computer.
What can you do to minimize the chances of an on-line exploiter victimizing your Child?Communicate, and talk to your child about sexual victimization and potential on-line danger.
- Spend time with your children on-line. Have them teach you about their favorite on-line destinations.
- Keep the computer in a common room in the house, not in your child's bedroom. It is much more difficult for a computer-sex offender to communicate with a child when the computer screen is visible to a parent or another member of the household.
- Utilize parental controls provided by your service provider and/or blocking software. While electronic chat can be a great place for children to make new friends and discuss various topics of interest, computer-sex offenders also prowl it. Use of chat rooms, in particular, should be heavily monitored. While parents should utilize these mechanisms, they should not totally rely on them.
- Always maintain access to your child's on-line account and randomly check his/her e-mail. Be aware that your child could be contacted through post or courier also. Be up front with your child about your access and reasons why.
- Teach your child the responsible use of the resources on-line. There is much more to the on-line experience than chat rooms.
- Find out what computer safeguards are utilized by your child's school, the public library, browsing centres and at the homes of your child's friends. These are all places, outside your normal supervision, where your child could encounter an on-line predator.
- Understand, that even if your child was a willing participant in any form of sexual exploitation, he/she is not at fault and is the victim. The offender always bears the complete responsibility for his or her actions.
Instruct your children
- To never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they met on- line;
- To never upload (post) pictures of themselves onto the Internet or on-line service to people they do not personally know;
- To never give out identifying information such as their name, home address, school name, or telephone number;
- To never download pictures from an unknown source, as there is a good chance there could be sexually explicit images;
- To never respond to messages or bulletin board postings that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent, or harassing;
- That whatever they are told on-line may or may not be true.
Crime Prevention Tips
• Bankers, Jewelers and shop owners are advised to fix Burglar alarm, CCTV and engage young and healthy watchmen after checking their antecedents.
• Get trained in detecting fake credit cards and counterfeit.
• Banks are advised to install hot lines with the local police stations.
• The frontage should be well lit after business hours. Do not allow tramps, paper pickers and beggars to sleep in the shop front.
• New type of Shutters (Single Piece) cannot be easily breached.
CREDIT CARD USERS
• In case of losing the credit card, lodge a complaint with the bank immediately. It will enable the bank to announce it as 'hot card' as early as possible, making it possible to nab the culprit. This will also protect you from liabilities, which may be incurred using the stolen card.
• Do not write the PIN number on the card itself.
USING AN ATM
• Make sure your privacy is not intruded while using the ATM
• Collect the cash and count it as unobtrusively as possible.
• Keep the cash in its place before coming out of the ATM booth
• Make sure you log out in the right sequence
• Don't forget to collect the card from the slot.
• Do not ask for assistance from any unauthorised person.
• Do not encourage strangers who offer unsolicited advice.
• Avoid using ATMs in uncrowded places especially late night
• When signing the bill counterfoil, after making a purchase using the credit card, make sure there are no duplicates or additional bills.
HOW TO AVOID IDENTITY THEFT?
Identity Theft is a recent phenomenon. Globally, over 500,000 people are victims of this crime each year. The best protection always is prevention. Here are some tips to safeguard your good name:
• BEWARE Any document that has personal financial information on it can give an identity thief a foothold into your life.
• Put the charge slip copies in a safe spot until your credit card bills arrive.
• After you've reconciled your bill, shred every statement, including credit card receipts, old bank statements, medical statements, everyday bills and pre-approved credit card offers.
• Write clearly on all credit applications. Consistently and completely fill in all credit and loan applications using your full name, first, middle and last. Every bill that comes to your house should be addressed exactly the same.
• Monitor your credit accounts carefully, so you'll know if a bill's missing or unauthorised purchases have been made.
• Close out unused credit cards. Cutting them up is not enough.
• Limit the number of credit cards you carry. The fewer cards you have, the easier it is to track them.
• If you're moving, contact all your creditors and update them of your address changes immediately. You don't want credit information and new credit cards being delivered to the wrong address.
• If your credit card expires and you don't receive a new one, call your creditor immediately.
• Don't provide your credit card number to anyone who contacts you through telephone solicitation.
• Make sure any online credit card charges are handled through a secure site or in an encrypted mode. You'll know you're on a secure site if the web page on which you conduct your transaction begins with 'https' instead of the usual 'http'.
• Be watchful of shoulder-surfers. At ATMs and phone booths, thieves will stand close enough to see PIN numbers punched in by users.