The spread of spyware is more than an annoyance - it's practically an plague. Spyware is software that gathers personal information about users with no informed consent. Spyware threat alerts come in at number five in ScamBusters.org's top Internet scams. 80% of all Windows-based PC's contain spyware, and most computer owners are unaware that the spyware had been installed on their computers!

Some spyware is fairly harmless. However, a good deal of spyware can be very dangerous, leaking your very private and confidential data to scammers and other people.

One of the oldest type of Internet troubles are dangerous viruses, worms, and Trojan horses. Most of the urgent emails about "deadly viruses" are just hoaxes. But there are a lot of very serious real ones out there, as well. Computer viruses are designed to spread from one computer to another quickly. Viruses cause major PC crashes, PC's being hacked into, spyware installed without their permission, and even private information stolen. The nuisance and cost of repairing the physical damage is substantial, but the psychological effect can be devastating.

Preventing or getting rid or viruses is expensive for some, but installing security and safety precautions is worth it in the long run. Many local computer stores have the solution and are in the business of what's in your pc's best interest.

Next is foreign lottery scams, which send you e-mail suggesting you won the lottery. However, in order to claim your prize winnings, you must first remit a fee to cover processing and taxes, and you need your bank account to do that. The safe thing to do is recognize this as bogus and ignore and delete the message.

Phishing scams are very popular and now and then you get more than one of these types of scams in your inbox each day. The term applies to scamsters who are phishing for your private information, to steal your credit card or bank info - or worse, your identity. Sometimes they claim to be from major reputable companies like PayPal or eBay. Again, don't even bother with them. But if you're really concerned about your account from trusted sources, go the that site's homepage and login, and you'll find out that no such request was made by the company itself.

Which now leads us to identity theft. For five years in a row, identity theft topped the list of complaints reported to the Federal Trade Commission, accounting for 39% of all complaints received annually by the agency. The consequences of becoming a victim of identity fraud include: having a scammer open up accounts in your name (and running up debts to those accounts), losing your job, being denied insurance, a bank loan, or even being arrested for crimes you didn't commit. So how do you decrease your chances of your identity being stolen?

1. Don't give anyone access to your personal identification number (PIN)
2. Don't leave financial mail or statements lying around
3. Shred any personal documents that may contain personal or financial information
4. As much as possible, sign-up for electronic banking and account monitoring, and then review your accounts regularly
5. Review your credit report, bank accounts and credit card bills frequently

Self-detection is the best way to find out about identity fraud early.